The effect of adolescent inhalant abuse on energy balance and growth

Abstract

The abuse of volatile solvents such as toluene is a significant public health concern, predominantly affecting adolescents. To date, inhalant abuse research has primarily focused on the central nervous system; however, inhalants also exert effects on other organ systems and processes, including metabolic function and energy balance. Adolescent inhalant abuse is characterized by a negative energy balance phenotype, with the peak period of abuse overlapping with the adolescent growth spurt. There are multiple components within the central and peripheral regulation of energy balance that may be affected by adolescent inhalant abuse, such as impaired metabolic signaling, decreased food intake, altered dietary preferences, disrupted glucose tolerance and insulin release, reduced adiposity and skeletal density, and adrenal hypertrophy. These effects may persist into abstinence and adulthood, and the long‐term consequences of inhalant‐induced metabolic dysfunction are currently unknown. The signs and symptoms resulting from chronic adolescent inhalant abuse may result in a propensity for the development of adult‐onset metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes, however, further research investigating the long‐term effects of inhalant abuse upon energy balance and metabolism are needed. This review addresses several aspects of the short‐ and long‐term effects of inhalant abuse relating to energy and metabolic processes, including energy balance, intake and expenditure; dietary preferences and glycemic control; and the dysfunction of metabolic homeostasis through altered adipose tissue, bone, and hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal axis function.

Molecular evidence of the amelioration of toluene induced encephalopathy by human breast milk mesenchymal stem cells

“…In addition, the decreased expression of PPAR-γ induced by toluene treatment in the current work was an interesting and crucial finding since it can explain the underexplored effect of toluene on energy homeostasis reported in previous studies 67 , 68 . PPAR-γ helps the maintenance of energetic homeostasis possibly by promoting mitochondrial activity 69 .…”

Adolescent chronic intermittent toluene inhalation dynamically regulates the transcriptome and neuronal methylome within the rat medial prefrontal cortex

“…Toluene exposure is known to interact with the stress response system via modulation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis 29,48 . We have also previously observed increased Crh mRNA expression (encoding corticotropin‐releasing hormone) within the hypothalamus, increased circulating adrenocorticotropic hormone without altered corticosterone levels, and adrenal hypertrophy following adolescent CIT exposure in rats 29,49 .…”

Body dissatisfaction, drug use, and associated factors among adolescents in three Brazilian cities

“…Inhalants are central nervous system depressant substances that can be breathed in (through the mouth or nose), with volatile and flammable characteristics, commonly associated with solvents (examples: glue, nail polish, lança-perfume , acetone, loló ) 6 . In adolescence, inhalants impair growth, affect metabolism and food intake, change food preferences and glucose metabolism and skeletal muscle adiposity, in addition to predisposing users to withdrawal syndrome, which is directly related to body image 50 .…”