Open AccessEpistemology of screening for behavioral toxicity.
Author(s) -
Peter Dews
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
environmental health perspectives
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.257
H-Index - 282
eISSN - 1552-9924
pISSN - 0091-6765
DOI - 10.1289/ehp.782637
Subject(s) - lethality , toxicity , toxicology , medicine , dose dependence , psychology , pharmacology , biology
A method is described for the assay of the behavioral effects of volatile solvents on mice and illustrated with pilot results on trichlorethylene. A dose-effect curve has been determined for the effects on schedule controlled responding and compared with the dose-lethality curve and the TLV for man. The OR50 for behavioral effects was 1/5 of the LD50 and 50 times the TLV for long-term exposure of man. An analysis of the errors involved in determination of effects on whole animals leads to the conclusion that subtle effects, representing a few per cent change, will not be detectable in routine screening. It is suggested nevertheless that information on the midrange, knowable, part of the dose-effect curve may prove useful in predicting safe levels for man.