Environmental Chemicals and Human Neurotoxicity: Magnitude, Prognosis and Markers

Abstract

The neurotoxic effects of exposure to chemicals in the environment, though 
insufficiently recognized, remains a topic of substantial current concern and 
interest. Neurotoxicities may be protean; expressed as neuropathologic or as 
altered neurocthemical, electrophysiological or behavioural functions. The 
adverse effects of neurotoxicity are among the most feared ill health in 
humans because they adversely affect the quality of life, and have broad 
health, social and economic implications. Though the magnitude of 
neurotoxicity is not exactly known, in some advanced countries over 30 
million individuals suffer from neurobehavioural illness with only 20% 
seeking medical attention. In the United States for instance, of the 63 million 
youths under 18 years of age about 10% have diagnosable neurobehavioural 
problems with only 20% receiving therapy. Data developed by the massive 
Global Burden of Disease (GBD) revealed that neurobehavioural impairment 
ranks only second to cancer and coronary heart disease combined. These 
data may indeed be more gruesome owing to the poor regulation of exposure 
to environmental chemicals in resource poor countries. Biomarkers play a 
major role in detecting, predicting and screening for neurotoxicity. 
Development of inexpensive and specific biomarkers of neurotoxicity is a 
challenge to the scientific community. Undoubtedly, the magnitude and 
potential severity of neurotoxicity problems make it imperative to invest in 
resources required to strengthen the basis for preventive intervention, the 
forerunner of which is the development of biomarkers for neurotoxicity at the 
individual and population levels. Health education on chemicals and 
potential for neurotoxicity is also desirable