Neurobehavioral performance in multiple chemical sensitivities

Individuals with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS) frequently report difficulties in attention/concentration, memory, and accuracy and speed of problem solving. We evaluated neurobehavioral functioning in 35 chemically exposed patients referred to our Occupational and Environmental Neurology Clinic. Of these 35 patients, 17 presented with symptoms of MCS and 16 patients reported no symptoms of MCS. In addition, we used a group of 126 healthy controls for comparison. The performance of the MCS group was not significantly different from that of the control group on tests of verbal learning and memory, executive functioning, and psychomotor functioning. The MCS group performed below the control group on a test of visual learning and memory, but this performance was similar to the group with chemical exposure and no MCS. Therefore, performance on objective neurobehavioral tests did not confirm the most frequently reported subjective complaints of patients with MCS. These results suggest that patients with symptoms of MCS do not have compromised central nervous system functioning.