Analysis of Short-Term Effects of World Trade Center Dust on Rat Sciatic Nerve

• Published in: Journal of occupational and environmental medicine Vol. 56; no. 10; pp. 1024 - 1028
• Main Authors: Stecker, Mark, Segelnick, Jacqueline, Wilkenfeld, Marc
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a business of Wolters Kluwer Health 01-10-2014; Copyright by the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Ovid Technologies
• Subjects: Action Potentials; Air Pollutants - toxicity; Animals; Bombings; Dust; Dust - analysis; Effects; Environmental Exposure - adverse effects; Fast Track Article; In Vitro Techniques; Nervous system; Pilot Projects; Rats; Rodents; Sciatic Nerve; September 11 Terrorist Attacks
• ISSN: 1076-2752; 1536-5948
• DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000000296

OBJECTIVE:The purpose of this study was to investigate the short-term effects of residual dust from the World Trade Center (WTC) on rat sciatic nerve.
METHODS:Nerve action potentials were recorded in nerves exposed to dust from the WTC as well as control nerves.
RESULTS:There was a reduction in the conduction velocity of nerves exposed to a high concentration of the dust from the WTC when compared with controls.
CONCLUSIONS:Although there are statistically significant reductions in conduction velocity when exposed to the WTC dust in this pilot study, additional studies both clinical and basic will be needed to further understand the significance of these results.