Toxicology and industrial health
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The neurological effects of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been extensively investigated in humans and in animals. The main focus in human studies has been on the effects in neonates and young children, although studies of adults have also been conducted. A great deal of concern exists that even low levels of PCBs transferred to the fetus across the placenta may induce long-lasting neurological damage. ⋯ Both dioxin-like and non-dioxin-like PCB congeners have been shown to induce neurobehavioral alterations in animals. Changes in levels of neurotransmitters in various brain areas have also been observed in monkeys, rats, and mice. Of all the observed changes, the most consistent has been a decrease in dopamine content in basal ganglia and prefrontal cortex, but further research is needed before specific neurobehavioral deficits can be correlated with PCB-induced changes in specific neurotransmitters in specific brain areas.