Research Ties Gas Fumes to Aggressive Behavior

Could breathing gasoline fumes actually contribute to road rage?

That’s the hypothesis Cairo University’s Amal Kinawy tested when she exposed lab rats to gas fumes. Kinawy found that rats who breathed in the fumes showed signs of heightened aggression and anxiety compared to the control group. Their brains even experienced changes in the neurotransmitters in the hypothalamus, hippocampus and cerebellum.

When exposed to untreated peers, the rats increased their teeth chatter, arched their backs more and bit fellow rats — all signs of increased aggression.

Could fumes have the same affect on humans? Kinawy thinks it’s possible.

In her study, which was published by the online journal BMC Physiology, she says, “Heightened aggression may be yet another risk for the human population chronically exposed to urban air polluted by automobile smoke. Millions of people every day are exposed to gasoline fumes while refueling their cars.”

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Comments

Yawn... Everyone knows sniffing gas makes you stupid and can possibly kill you if you're into that sort of thing. Same goes with sniffing spray paint. IMO, there's a lot more to road rage than sniffing gas fumes at the pump. Some of the "people" we share the road with are case studies straight out of the DSM-IV.

I only see this situation getting more out of control. Another good reason for finding fuel alternatives.