The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety & Health Administration states that those who work with solvents on a daily basis may suffer from damage to their liver, kidneys and respiratory system, as well as face an increased risk of developing cancer. Now, there is new evidence that exposure to these chemicals, combined with people’s level of education, may influence the quality of their thinking skills later in life.

In a recent Harvard University study, which appears in "Neurology," the American Academy of Neurology’s medical journal, researchers reached this conclusion after reviewing data from 4,134 individuals who had worked at the French national gas and electric company. In most cases, the participants had spent their entire career with this employer.

Based on the amount of solvents these workers were exposed to, as well as the level of formal education they completed, researchers found that those with less than a high school education who had been exposed to the chemicals also tended to have reduced thinking skills.

"People with more education may have a greater cognitive reserve that acts like a buffer allowing the brain to maintain its ability to function in spite of damage," said Lisa F. Berkman, the study’s author.

If individuals have spent much of their life working around solvents, they may want to consider taking an IQ test to see if these chemicals have had any impact on their cognitive abilities.