ABSTRACT
Few of the approximately 86,000 chemicals on the Toxic Substances Control Act inventory have been tested for neurotoxicity to support risk assessments. Chapter 5 provides a framework to approach questions concerning the neurotoxic effects of chemicals in fish. First, a brief summary of the structural and functional attributes of the nervous system is provided, followed by an overview of neurotoxic mechanisms of action. The final section of the chapter summarizes mechanisms of action and manifestations of neurotoxic effects for several classes of compounds. In this latter section, examples highlight where structural and functional alterations to the nervous system at the subcellular to cellular level can be linked to physiological and behavioral effects. The integration of effects across levels of biological organization is essential for establishing the mechanistic basis underlying neurotoxicity, as well as for identifying and quantifying ecologically relevant neurotoxic effects in fish.
