Mechanism of neurobehavioral alteration

Behavioral toxicology is an emerging field which is becoming increasingly i mportant in risk assessment of exposure to neurotoxic substances, due to th e high sensitivity of behavior towards neurotoxic action and the integratio n in behavioral functions of several underlying processes and neurofunction s, such as motor, sensory, attention, motivational. Whenever it is difficul t to isolate the relative contribution of sensory, motor, arousal, or cogni tive factors that contribute to an observed behavioral change, possible mec hanism of behavioral alteration may rely on the involvement of neurotransmi tters, such as the dopaminergic system and catecholamines metabolism. Examp les are given of different behavioral types of changes induced in humans by organic solvents (styrene), metals (manganese) and anaesthetic gases, base d on a possible common underlying mechanism of toxicity. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.