Some inhalants act somewhat like surgical anesthetics, suppressing nerve action in a way not clearly understood and causing various degrees of stupor. Some produce structural changes in brain cells. These often affect the cerebral cortex, the cerebellum and the brain stem. As a result, chronic inhalant users often move slowly and clumsily because of loss of coordination. The frontal cortex, a region of the brain that helps to solve complex problems, also is affected by inhalants, as is the hippocampus, a part of the brain involved in memory retention.
Inhalants rob the brain of oxygen, reducing nerve cell activity and killing some cells.
That, in turn, can affect thinking, memory and ability to learn. Other physical effects. Permanent hearing loss, especially from inhaling toluene found in paint sprays, glues and dewaxers, is a big risk for inhalant users. Irreversible damage to nerves throughout the body, a condition called polyneuropathy, is common. Among the most vulnerable nerves are those in the back and legs.