Environmental hydrocarbons produce degeneration in cat hypothalamus and optic tract.

2,5-Hexanedione, the principal neurotoxic metabolite of the industrial solvents n-hexane and methyl n-butyl ketone causes axonal degeneration in the mammillary body and visual nuclei of cats. Prolonged, low-level exposure to hydrocarbons in the environment may cause premature deterioration in areas of the human brain vital for perception and behavior.