Intrauterine Exposure to Environmental Toxins: The Significance of Subtle Behavioral Effects

摘要

Recently, there has been an increase in interest in subtle effects associated with exposure to environmental toxins. One methodological problem in research in this area involves assessment of degree of contamination when exposure occurs at low and moderate levels. A second problem lies in determining the clinical or practical significance of subtle toxic effects when they are observed. Both these issues are illustrated by the case of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), a family of environmental toxins found in moderate concentrations in humans who consume Lake Michigan sports fish.