{"title":"Behavioral epidemiology of food additives.","authors":"B Weiss, C Cox, M Young, S Margen, J H Williams","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Behavioral toxicology in the natural environment can be considered a special branch of epidemiology. Behavioral epidemiology, because it typically relies on complex functional criteria, faces all of the problems of behavior measurement posed by uncontrollable variation, and amplified even further by chemical exposure. Many such issues arose in a study of behavioral responses to artificial food colors in children. Difficulties in employing Applied Behavioral Analysis in such a context run the gamut from selection of retrospective criteria to appropriate statistical models.</p>","PeriodicalId":76207,"journal":{"name":"Neurobehavioral toxicology","volume":"1 Suppl 1 ","pages":"149-55"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1979-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"11512802","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Quantitative analysis of rat behavior patterns in a residential maze.","authors":"J Elsner, R Looser, G Zbinden","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A method for monitoring spontaneous locomotor patterns of rats during one day is described. The animals' locomotion is registered in a residential maze by 18 optical gates connected to a computer. Status changes of each optical gate are stored on a disk file and can be retrieved for complete session reconstruction and data analysis. The general features of a rat's behavior in the maze are discussed. Quantitative analyses and statistical comparisons between two sessions spaced two weeks apart and between a group of 4 control animals and 4 rats treated in utero with methylmercury chloride are performed. Following parameters are analysed as functions of time and maze location: locomotor and local activity, occupational duration and time per visit in the maze compartments. Angular dependences of path decisions and regional preferences of crossing at the alley bifurcations are observed. No changes of the measured parameters can be observed between the first and second sessions. Methylmercury treatment results in a consistently lower local activity during the night period and in differences of path preferences.</p>","PeriodicalId":76207,"journal":{"name":"Neurobehavioral toxicology","volume":"1 Suppl 1 ","pages":"163-74"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1979-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"11512805","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effects of toxicants on visual systems.","authors":"W H Merigan","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The analysis of visual toxicity is complicated by the heterogeneity of visual capacities in different regions of the visual field. Since various toxicants may impair different functions allied to localized portions of the visual field, it is important to explore the relationship of field defects to residual visual abilities. We have begun this exploration by studying methylmercury poisoning in macaque monkeys. Extended exposure to this toxicant produces a marked concentric constriction of visual fields, a result similar to that found in human victims. In addition, visual sensitivity is greatly reduced on those tests in which the periphery of the visual field is more sensitive than the center. Our findings suggest simple but reliable clinical tests for screening suspected victims of substances impairing peripheral vision.</p>","PeriodicalId":76207,"journal":{"name":"Neurobehavioral toxicology","volume":"1 Suppl 1 ","pages":"15-22"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1979-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"11512803","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Psychological test methods: sensitivity to long term chemical exposure at work.","authors":"H Hänninen","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Five studies dealing with long term occupational exposure to carbon disulfide, a mixture of organic solvents, toluene, styrene and lead are reviewed. All of the studies were cross-sectional, comprising either a comparison between exposed and nonexposed groups or the determination of exposure-response relationships, or both. The tests for the cognitive functions were known clinical intelligence and memory tests. The perceptual and psychomotor tasks were the Santa Ana test, the Bourdon-Wiersma test for visual-motor speed and accuracy, the Symmetry Drawing test and the Mira test. In four of the five studies the neurotoxic effect involved both cognitive and psychomotor functions. In the carbon disulfide group, psychomotor retardation was the most pronounced effect: in the group exposed to solvent mixtures the main effects were seen in the cognitive functions. The effects of styrene were limited to perceptual and psychomotor disturbances. As the most sensitive methods have varied from study to study, the continued use of broad and diverse psychological methodology in studies dealing with long term neurotoxic effects is proposed.</p>","PeriodicalId":76207,"journal":{"name":"Neurobehavioral toxicology","volume":"1 Suppl 1 ","pages":"157-61"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1979-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"11512804","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Postnatal effects of maternal nicotine exposure.","authors":"D A Peters, H Taub, S Tang","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Rats were given dilute nicotine solutions as their only source of drinking water while control rats received distilled water. Two months after the start of treatment the rats were mated. At birth litters born to nicotine treated rats were either left with the dams until weaning (nicotine group) or cross-fostered to control dams (cross-fostered nicotine group). Both parents and offspring were tested when the pups were 60 to 80 days of age. The drug-treated adult rats showed a marked reduction in body weight gain during the period of drug treatment. The dams were more active during the day and exhibited a reduced plasma corticosterone response to stress. Male but not female offspring of nicotine treated rats were significantly lighter at birth than control males. Offspring in the nicotine group showed an increased spontaneous motor activity in the light which was not prevented by cross-fostering to control dams at birth. The results support the hypothesis that pre-natal exposure to nicotine causes significant changes in behavior in later life.</p>","PeriodicalId":76207,"journal":{"name":"Neurobehavioral toxicology","volume":"1 3","pages":"221-5"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1979-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"11754778","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effects of chronic administration of food colorings on activity levels and cognitive performance in developing rat pups treated with 6-hydroxydopamine.","authors":"B A Shaywitz, J R Goldenring, R S Wool","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":76207,"journal":{"name":"Neurobehavioral toxicology","volume":"1 1","pages":"41-7"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1979-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"11754948","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}