Sensory disturbances

Benzodiazepine withdrawal may occur when use of the antianxiety drugs is abruptly discontinued after 3 to 4 months of therapy. Occasionally, withdrawal symptoms may occur after as little as 4 to 6 weeks of therapy. Symptoms of benzodiazepine withdrawal include increased anxiety, concentration difficultiesi, tremor, and sensory disturbances, such as paresthesias photophobia, hypersomnia, and metallic taste. To help prevent withdrawal symptoms, the nurse must make sure the dosage of the benzodiazepine is gradually decreased over a period of time, usually 4 to 6 weeks... 

Fadda F, Columbo G, Mosca E, et al Suppression by gamma-hydroxybutyric acid of ethanol withdrawal syndrome in rats. Alcohol Alcohol 24 447-451, 1989 Fine J, Finestone SC. Sensory disturbances following ketamine anesthesia recurrent hallucinations. Anesth Analg 52 428 30, 1973 Freese TE, Miotto K, Reback CJ The effects and consequences of selected club drugs. J Subst Abuse Treat 23 151—156, 2002... 

Severe exposures may take several hours to detoxify and minor sensory disturbances may persist for up to 1 day. 

Effect of Dose and Duration of Exposure on Toxicity. No studies were located where -hexane concentration was measured in workplace air before workers became ill, so no dose-response relationship can be defined for human neurotoxicity as the result of -hexane exposure. Information on duration of exposure leading to toxicity is available from some case series reports. An occupational exposure caused sensory disturbances in the lower extremities after approximately 2 months (Herskowitz et al. 1971). A case of peripheral neuropathy after 7 months of exposure was reported among press-proofing workers in Taipei (Wang et al. 1986) a serious case resulting in quadriplegia after 8 months of exposure was reported among sandal workers in Japan (Yamamura 1969). Based on case reports, it can be estimated... 

Acute Nicotine is a very toxic drug in acute high doses (Taylor 1996). The lethal dose in adult humans is approximately 60 mg. Symptoms of acute poisoning include headache, dizziness, salivation, cold sweats, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Sensory disturbances, confusion, and convulsions also occur. Blood pressure drops, the pulse becomes weak and irregular, and respiration becomes difficult. Death usually results from respiratory failure. 

Subjective effects A state of intoxication occurs with muscimol, characterized by confusion, disorientation, sensory disturbances (e.g., auditory, visual, numbness in the feet, etc.). Also common are fatigue and sedation, followed by sleep. Cognitive ability is diminished. 

Inhibition of CNS neurons is the underlying cause of neurological effects such as vertigo, confusion, sensory disturbances, and motor disturbances (tremor, giddiness, ataxia, convulsions). 

Central nervous system effects predominate in acute exposures at massive doses, whereas peripheral neuropathy is more common with lower doses.After cessation of exposure to acrylamide, most cases recover, although the course of improvement can extend over months to years and depends on the severity of exposure. Because peripheral neurons can regenerate and central axons cannot, severely affected individuals may still experience residual ataxia, distal weakness, reflex loss, or sensory disturbance. 

In a recent report, two workers developed symptoms and signs of cerebellar lesions and damage of the third, fourth, or sixth cranial nerve pathways after methyl iodide exposure. Spinal cord lesions producing motor and sensory disturbances were present in one, and late psychiatric disorders were observed in both. 

About 80% of MS patients have an episodic form of the disease called relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. An episode typically starts with sensory disturbances, limb weakness, and clumsiness symptoms evolve over several days, stabilize, and then often improve spontaneously or in response to corticosteroids. In the initial phase of the disease, relapses are generally followed by complete or nearly complete clinical recovery. However, persistent signs of CNS dysfunction may develop after a relapse, and the disease... 

In the persons that received the drug, Stalinon, and died, symptoms prior to death included vertigo, intense headache, photophobia, altered consciousness, visual impairment, convulsions, and sensory disturbances. Autopsies revealed edema in the white matter of the central nervous system. 

A syndrome thought to involve 5-HT characterized by localized headache and often accompanied by nausea, vomiting and sensory disturbances. Rod-shaped subcellular particles involved in energy production (e.g. ATP) and metabolism. 

Methyl bromide Eye, skin, respiratory tract irritant, GI tract disturbances, CNS effects (tremors) CNS depression, visual and speech disturbances, sensory disturbances, kidney damage... 

The SN often associated with the Hu antibody is characterized by primary damage to the nerve cell body. The patient suffers from progressive, painful sensory disturbances evolving subacutely, usually with a Rankin score of 3 within 12 weeks of the onset of symptoms [14]. Presenting symptoms include paresthesia, hypoestesia, and very often proprioceptive loss in the affected areas sensory ataxia is common. The upper limbs are often involved [97], The distribution of the SN is often atypical for peripheral neuropathy. The involvement is usually asymmetrical, especially at the onset of symptoms, and may affect the face or upper limbs only. SN is often the presenting symptom of the PEM/SN syndrome, but signs of CNS involvement usually evolve, and autonomic disturbances are common [36]. 

Morgenstern FS, Beech HR, Davies RM. 1962. An investigation of drug-induced sensory disturbances. Psychopharma-... 

The migraine aura of visual or sensory disturbance probably originates in the occipital or sensory cortex the throbbing headache is due to dilatation of pain-sensitive arteries outside the brain, including scalp arteries. 

The main abdominal symptoms of SMON are diarrhea and abdominal pain, sometimes accompanied by nausea, vomiting, constipation, a bloated feeling in the abdomen, and meteorism. The neurological symptoms are acute or subacute in nature sensory disturbances are characteristic and spread gradually from the feet up to the navel. Some 20-40% of cases have visual disturbances ranging from blurred vision to atrophy of the optic nerve and blindness. There is a wide range of mental symptoms. 

A 35-year-old man, who had taken indinavir 2400 mg/day, lamivudine 300 mg/day, and stavudine 80 mg/day for 10 months, developed a slowly progressive paraparesis, with sensory disturbances in the legs. An MRI scan was consistent with epidural lipomatosis. On withdrawal of indinavir, the symptoms gradually resolved. 

The common symptoms are tingling of the hands, gradually increasing sensory disturbances, and finally motor disturbances, usually of the hands, although only after thalidomide has been taken over a lengthy period. A positive Babinsky reflex and disturbed vibration sense have also been reported (39). Unless the drug is discontinued promptly at the start of symptoms the polyneuropathy can be irreversible (40,41). 

In 35 patients with poljmeuropathy, mostly of the sensory type, which occurred after about 9 months of ingestion of thalidomide 100-200 mg/day, the principal symptoms were paresthesia and distal sensory disturbances in the feet. Withdrawal of the drug led to partial improvement, but complete resolution was not observed (42-45). 

Sensory disturbances, paresthesia, transient motor disturbances Depression, euphoria, conversion symptoms Multiple sclerosis... 

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