Abstract
Silent neurotoxicity, a term introduced approximately 25 years ago, is defined as a persistent change to the nervous system that does not manifest as overt evidence of toxicity (i.e. it remains clinically unapparent) unless unmasked by experimental or natural processes. Silent neurotoxicants can be challenging for risk assessors, as the multifactorial experiments needed to reveal their effects are seldom conducted, and they are not addressed by current study design guidelines. This topic was the focus of a symposium addressing the interpretation and use of silent neurotoxicity data in human health risk assessments of environmental toxicants at the annual meeting of the Developmental Neurotoxicology Society (previously the Neurobehavioral Teratology Society) on June 30th, 2014. Several factors important to the design and interpretation of studies assessing the potential for silent neurotoxicity were discussed by the panelists and audience members. Silent neurotoxicity was demonstrated to be highly specific to the characteristics of the animals being examined, the unmasking agent tested, and the behavioral endpoint(s) evaluated. Overall, the experimental examples presented highlighted a need to consider common adverse outcomes and common biological targets for chemical and non-chemical stressors, particularly when the exposure and stressors are known to co-occur. Risk assessors could improve the evaluation of silent neurotoxicants in assessments through specific steps from researchers, including experiments to reveal the molecular targets and mechanisms that may result in specific types of silent neurotoxicity, and experiments with complex challenges reminiscent of the human situation.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 38-44 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Neurotoxicology and Teratology |
| Volume | 55 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - May 1 2016 |
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Keywords
- Behavior
- Delayed-onset
- Development
- Environmental health
- Neurotoxicity
- Risk assessment
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
- Toxicology
Cite this
Unmasking silent neurotoxicity following developmental exposure to environmental toxicants. / Kraft, Andrew D.; Aschner, Michael; Cory-Slechta, Deborah A.; Bilbo, Staci D.; Caudle, W. Michael; Makris, Susan L.
In: Neurotoxicology and Teratology, Vol. 55, 01.05.2016, p. 38-44.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Unmasking silent neurotoxicity following developmental exposure to environmental toxicants
AU - Kraft, Andrew D.
AU - Aschner, Michael
AU - Cory-Slechta, Deborah A.
AU - Bilbo, Staci D.
AU - Caudle, W. Michael
AU - Makris, Susan L.
PY - 2016/5/1
Y1 - 2016/5/1
N2 - Silent neurotoxicity, a term introduced approximately 25 years ago, is defined as a persistent change to the nervous system that does not manifest as overt evidence of toxicity (i.e. it remains clinically unapparent) unless unmasked by experimental or natural processes. Silent neurotoxicants can be challenging for risk assessors, as the multifactorial experiments needed to reveal their effects are seldom conducted, and they are not addressed by current study design guidelines. This topic was the focus of a symposium addressing the interpretation and use of silent neurotoxicity data in human health risk assessments of environmental toxicants at the annual meeting of the Developmental Neurotoxicology Society (previously the Neurobehavioral Teratology Society) on June 30th, 2014. Several factors important to the design and interpretation of studies assessing the potential for silent neurotoxicity were discussed by the panelists and audience members. Silent neurotoxicity was demonstrated to be highly specific to the characteristics of the animals being examined, the unmasking agent tested, and the behavioral endpoint(s) evaluated. Overall, the experimental examples presented highlighted a need to consider common adverse outcomes and common biological targets for chemical and non-chemical stressors, particularly when the exposure and stressors are known to co-occur. Risk assessors could improve the evaluation of silent neurotoxicants in assessments through specific steps from researchers, including experiments to reveal the molecular targets and mechanisms that may result in specific types of silent neurotoxicity, and experiments with complex challenges reminiscent of the human situation.
AB - Silent neurotoxicity, a term introduced approximately 25 years ago, is defined as a persistent change to the nervous system that does not manifest as overt evidence of toxicity (i.e. it remains clinically unapparent) unless unmasked by experimental or natural processes. Silent neurotoxicants can be challenging for risk assessors, as the multifactorial experiments needed to reveal their effects are seldom conducted, and they are not addressed by current study design guidelines. This topic was the focus of a symposium addressing the interpretation and use of silent neurotoxicity data in human health risk assessments of environmental toxicants at the annual meeting of the Developmental Neurotoxicology Society (previously the Neurobehavioral Teratology Society) on June 30th, 2014. Several factors important to the design and interpretation of studies assessing the potential for silent neurotoxicity were discussed by the panelists and audience members. Silent neurotoxicity was demonstrated to be highly specific to the characteristics of the animals being examined, the unmasking agent tested, and the behavioral endpoint(s) evaluated. Overall, the experimental examples presented highlighted a need to consider common adverse outcomes and common biological targets for chemical and non-chemical stressors, particularly when the exposure and stressors are known to co-occur. Risk assessors could improve the evaluation of silent neurotoxicants in assessments through specific steps from researchers, including experiments to reveal the molecular targets and mechanisms that may result in specific types of silent neurotoxicity, and experiments with complex challenges reminiscent of the human situation.
KW - Behavior
KW - Delayed-onset
KW - Development
KW - Environmental health
KW - Neurotoxicity
KW - Risk assessment
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84962467972&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ntt.2016.03.005
DO - 10.1016/j.ntt.2016.03.005
M3 - Article
C2 - 27049787
AN - SCOPUS:84962467972
VL - 55
SP - 38
EP - 44
JO - Neurotoxicology and Teratology
JF - Neurotoxicology and Teratology
SN - 0892-0362
ER -