TY - JOUR
T1 - Cognitive impairment associated with toxigenic fungal exposure
T2 - A replication and extension of previous findings
AU - Gordon, Wayne A.
AU - Cantor, Joshua B.
AU - Johanning, Eckardt
AU - Charatz, Heather J.
AU - Ashman, Teresa A.
AU - Breeze, Janis L.
AU - Haddad, Lisa
AU - Abramowitz, Steven
PY - 2004
Y1 - 2004
N2 - In this study, neuropsychological data and symptom reports from 31 individuals exposed to toxic mold were examined. Most participants were found to have reduced cognitive functioning in multiple domains, with memory and executive functions the most commonly affected areas. Rates of dysfunction were significantly greater than chance on more than half of the tests. Number of cognitive impairments was found to be related to depression, although few neuropsychological test scores were correlated with depression. Results also indicated that symptom report of the mold-exposed participants was not significantly different from that of matched groups of 65 persons with mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) and 26 individuals with moderate TBI. The mold-exposed participants reported significantly more symptoms than 47 people with no disability. This study adds to a growing body of literature (e.g., Baldo, Ahmad, & Ruff, 2002; Gordon, Johanning, & Haddad, 1999) relating exposure to mycotoxins to cognitive dysfunction.
AB - In this study, neuropsychological data and symptom reports from 31 individuals exposed to toxic mold were examined. Most participants were found to have reduced cognitive functioning in multiple domains, with memory and executive functions the most commonly affected areas. Rates of dysfunction were significantly greater than chance on more than half of the tests. Number of cognitive impairments was found to be related to depression, although few neuropsychological test scores were correlated with depression. Results also indicated that symptom report of the mold-exposed participants was not significantly different from that of matched groups of 65 persons with mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) and 26 individuals with moderate TBI. The mold-exposed participants reported significantly more symptoms than 47 people with no disability. This study adds to a growing body of literature (e.g., Baldo, Ahmad, & Ruff, 2002; Gordon, Johanning, & Haddad, 1999) relating exposure to mycotoxins to cognitive dysfunction.
KW - Brain injury
KW - Cognitive impairment
KW - Mycotoxins
KW - Neuropsychological
KW - Toxic mold
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=4944254831&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1207/s15324826an1102_1
DO - 10.1207/s15324826an1102_1
M3 - Article
C2 - 15477176
AN - SCOPUS:4944254831
SN - 0908-4282
VL - 11
SP - 65
EP - 74
JO - Applied Neuropsychology
JF - Applied Neuropsychology
IS - 2
ER -