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Occupational screening for neurotoxicity: computerized techniques.
1Division of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, N.Y. 10029.
Toxicology
|May 1, 1988
Summary
Computer-administered tests effectively assess neurotoxicant effects in workplace studies. However, methods for individual clinical evaluation and industrial surveillance need further development for comprehensive neurobehavioral health monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Neurotoxicology
- Psychometrics
Background:
- Computer-administered testing systems are emerging for neurotoxicant exposure assessment.
- Current applications focus on laboratory, field, and epidemiological studies involving group comparisons.
- Existing automated tests show sensitivity and reliability for group analyses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the utility of computer-administered testing for neurotoxicant exposure.
- To identify limitations in current testing methodologies for clinical applications.
- To underscore the need for industrial neurobehavioral surveillance programs.
Main Methods:
- Review of computer-administered testing systems in various study designs (laboratory, field, epidemiological).
- Assessment of test sensitivity and reliability in group comparison contexts.
- Analysis of suitability for individual clinical evaluation.
Main Results:
- Automated neurobehavioral tests demonstrate sensitivity and reliability in group comparisons.
- Current testing methods are not sufficiently developed for individual clinical evaluation.
- There is a gap in established neurobehavioral surveillance programs for industrial settings.
Conclusions:
- Computer-administered tests are valuable for assessing neurotoxicant effects in group studies.
- Further development is required for clinical neurobehavioral assessment tools.
- Industrial neurobehavioral surveillance is crucial for establishing reference and baseline data.