Citation

Gernez E, Lee GR, Niguet JP, Zerimech F, Bennis A, Grzych G. Toxics (Basel) 2023; 11(12): e962.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, MDPI: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)

DOI

10.3390/toxics11120962

PMID

38133363

Abstract

The recreational use of nitrous oxide (N(2)O), also called laughing gas, has increased significantly in recent years. In 2022, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) recognized it as one of the most prevalent psychoactive substances used in Europe. Chronic nitrous oxide (N(2)O) exposure can lead to various clinical manifestations. The most frequent symptoms are neurological (sensitive or motor disorders), but there are also other manifestations like psychiatric manifestations or cardiovascular disorders (thrombosis events). N(2)O also affects various neurotransmitter systems, leading to its anesthetic, analgesic, anxiolytic and antidepressant properties. N(2)O is very challenging to measure in biological matrices. Thus, in cases of N(2)O intoxication, indirect biomarkers such as vitamin B12, plasma homocysteine and plasma MMA should be explored for diagnosis and assessment. Others markers, like oxidative stress markers, could be promising but need to be further investigated.

Language: en

Keywords

addiction; neuropathy; nitrous oxide; cobalamin; homocysteine; methylmalonic acid; neurology; toxicity; vitamin; vitamin B12