PET in patients with clear-cut multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS)

Summary

Aim: Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) is a controversially discussed symptom complex. Patients afflicted by MCS react to very low and generally nontoxic concentrations of environmental chemicals. It has been suggested that MCS leads to neurotoxic damage or neuroimmunological alteration in the brain detectable by positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computer tomography (SPECT). These methods are often applied to MCS patients for diagnosis, although they never proved appropriate. Method: We scanned 12 MCS patients with PET, hypothesizing that it would reveal abnormal findings. Results: Mild glucose hypometabolism was present in one patient. In comparison with normal controls, the patient group showed no significant functional brain changes. Conclusion: This first systematic PET study in MCS patients revealed no hint of neurotoxic or neuroimmuno-logical brain changes of functional significance.

Zusammenfassung

Ziel: Multiple chemische Sensibilität (MCS) ist ein umstrittenes Krankheitsbild, das durch Reaktionen auf geringe, für Normalpersonen unschädliche Mengen an Umweltchemikalien gekennzeichnet ist. Es wurde postuliert, dass MCS zu neurotoxischer Schädigung bzw. neuroimmunologischer Veränderung im Gehirn führt, die mittels funktioneller bildgebender Verfahren, z.B. Positronenemissionstomographie (PET), Single-Photon-Emissions-Computer-Tomographie (SPECT) dargestellt werden könnte. Obwohl hierfür kein wissenschaftlicher Beleg erbracht wurde, werden diese Methoden vielfach diagnostisch bei MCS-Patienten eingesetzt. Methode: Wir untersuchten 12 MCS-Patienten mit PET, um etwaige funktionelle Hirnveränderungen nachzuweisen. Ergebnisse: Im Einzelvergleich war bei einem Patienten ein diskreter Glukose-Hypometabolismus in einzelnen Hirnregionen vorhanden. Im Gruppenvergleich konnte keine signifikante Abweichung von der Norm gefunden werden. Schlussfolgerung: Diese erste systematische PET-Studie bei MCS-Patienten erbrachte keinen Hinweis auf nachweisbare funktionelle Hirnveränderung bei diesen Patienten.

Keywords

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity - PET - SPECT - brain changes

Schlüsselwörter

Multiple chemische Sensibilität - PET - SPECT - Hirnveränderungen

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