Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Environmental Health Perspectives logoLink to Environmental Health Perspectives
. 1976 Dec;18:85–94. doi: 10.1289/ehp.761885

Research strategies for behavioral teratology studies.

L D Grant
PMCID: PMC1475286  PMID: 1030403

Abstract

Several compelling aruguments have been advanced in support of expanding the use of "behavioral teratology" evaluations as routine components of toxicologic screening procedures. As a basis for development of effective behavioral teratology screening approaches, a conceptual framework is presented which interrelates: (1) changes in relative functional brain capacity with age, (2) possible times and durations of exposures to environmental insults, and (3) various types of toxicity testing procedures carried out at appropriate time points in relation to different exposure period. Within the context, several research strategies for behavioral teratology studies are concisely posed and evaluated. These include: (1) clinical hypothesis testing, where particular effect(s) of a given agent are evaluated based on hypotheses derived from clinical or epidemiological observations; (2) comprehensive screening approaches, where multifaceted, long-term longitudinal neurobehavioral evaluations are employed to assess whether any of a large number of possible deletarious effects are exerted by an agent and at what threshold exposure levels; (3) alternative screening heuristics, by which adequate assessments of neurobehavioral toxicity of various agents may be accomplished without completion of more exhaustive, but also more expensive and time-consuming comprehensive screening protocols.

Full text

PDF
85

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Butcher R. E. Behavioral testing as a method for assessing risk. Environ Health Perspect. 1976 Dec;18:75–78. doi: 10.1289/ehp.761875. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. David O., Clark J., Voeller K. Lead and hyperactivity. Lancet. 1972 Oct 28;2(7783):900–903. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(72)92534-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Golter M., Michaelson I. A. Growth, behavior, and brain catecholamines in lead-exposed neonatal rats: a reappraisal. Science. 1975 Jan 31;187(4174):359–361. doi: 10.1126/science.1167426. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. KETY S. S. Human cerebral blood flow and oxygen consumption as related to aging. Res Publ Assoc Res Nerv Ment Dis. 1956;35:31–45. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Lin-Fu J. S. Vulnerability of children to lead exposure and toxicity (first of two parts). N Engl J Med. 1973 Dec 6;289(23):1229–1233. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197312062892306. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Mello N. K. Behavioral toxicology: a developing discipline. Fed Proc. 1975 Aug;34(9):1832–1834. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Rodier P. M. Critical periods for behavioral anomalies in mice. Environ Health Perspect. 1976 Dec;18:79–83. doi: 10.1289/ehp.761879. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Silbergeld E. K., Goldberg A. M. Hyperactivity: a lead-induced behavior disorder. Environ Health Perspect. 1974 May;7:227–232. doi: 10.1289/ehp.747227. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Spyker J. M. Assessing the impact of low level chemicals on development: behavioral and latent effects. Fed Proc. 1975 Aug;34(9):1835–1844. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Weiss B., Spyker J. M. The susceptibility of the fetus and child to chemical pollutants. Behavioral implications of prenatal and early postnatal exposure to chemical pollutants. Pediatrics. 1974 May;53(5):851–859. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Environmental Health Perspectives are provided here courtesy of National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

RESOURCES