Complexity of neurotoxicological assessment.
One of the central objections to routine behavioral testing concerns the difficulty in interpreting behavioral effects. This paper discusses the assessment of neurotoxic hazard using data from both conventional toxicity studies and behavioral studies. It describes the breadth and complex expression of neurotoxic effects, the inference of neurotoxicity from behavioral and other data, and the validity and interpretation of behavioral effects. The basic questions asked by regulatory petition reviewers include: (1) can an effect be identified; (2) can the effect be considered to be a function of exposure; (3) can the effect be considered to be a direct effect on the nervous system; and (4) can the effect be considered to be an adverse effect? Approaches and options for improving the interpretability of current testing strategies are described. These include improvements and additions to existing studies, explicit testing, and development of generic testing requirements for specific chemical classes.
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D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States; D014484:United States Environmental Protection Agency; D014486:United States Food and Drug Administration