title: Behavioral teratogenicity testing as a method of screening for hazards to human health: a methodological proposal.
abstract: Behavioral teratology (psychoteratology) is the study of abnormal behavioral development, with particular attention to damage to the embryo or fetus. Behavioral teratology testing is being applied as a method to screen new agents for this form of toxicity in laboratory animals in several countries, yet there is virtually no discussion available in the literature that delineates the major factors that must be considered in conducting such tests, nor are there published recommendations for handling them. This paper states these issues and then presents a position on how each might be handled based on data from the behavioral teratology literature.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange / Q000187:drug effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D012018:Reflex / Q000187:drug effects; D012107:Research Design; D012449:Safety; D013723:Teratogens / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D013723:Teratogens