Chlordane

Problem
		To assay and profile chronic neurobehavioral impairment associated with chlordane exposure in symptomatic patients.
Methods
		Consecutive evaluations of 9 patients used sensitive neurophysiological and neuropsychological tests for neurobehavioral function.
Results
		Their visual fields, balance, reaction time, blink, color, grip strength, cognitive function, recall, memory perceptual motor speed were tested and mood states and frequencies of 35 symptoms were appraised. Prevalences of abnormality were compared test-by-test to predict values with confidence intervals and mean values for the group were compared to reference values. Testing showed abnormal balance with eyes closed in 7, abnormal color discrimination in 6, verbal recall deficit in 5 and prolonged blink reflex latency, prolonged choice reaction time, and decreased Culture Fair scores in 4 each. Profile of mood states score was elevated in 5. These observations suggest that chlordane causes protracted neurotoxicity.
Group 2
		Members of one family showed a diverse spectrum of effects. The father who had high exposure to skin and airways while cleaning up pesticide puddles indoors showed balance and color vision abnormalities with some diminution in the problem solving and highly abnormal mood states. The mother had, in addition to these problems, sleep disturbances, slowed reaction time, slowing of perceptual motor speed, tremors of the tongue, difficulty performing alternating movements and other clinical signs of cerebellar dysfunction. The 23 year old son who had been exposed as an adolescent and high school student had tremors of the tongue and slowing of his blink reflex like his mother, a low vocabulary score, difficulty concentrating and remembering formulas and doing other complex memory tasks. He was infertile with a low sperm count and many large abnormal sperm.
Group 3
		Measurements in 1993 of 250 adults and children of 500 exposed in 1987 to chlordane used to kill termites in an apartment complex in Houston, TX showed impaired reaction time, balance, recall, stories, problem solving ability, vocabulary and mood states abnormalities with particularly high depression and anger. Children showed considerably less abnormality. Other observers have reported that chlordane causes headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, balance trouble, and chronic jerking movements. Learning disorders have been seen in children.