from Section II - Executive Dysfunction in the Neurodevelopmental and Acquired Disorders
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 October 2012
Neurotoxicity refers to adverse alteration of CNS functioning due to exposure to either a natural or manmade substance. The impact of neurotoxic exposures on development can be quite significant, given both the underlying vulnerabilities of the maturing brain and the potential for early neurotoxic exposures to alter a child's developmental trajectory. This chapter reviews the relationship between the most commonly encountered neurotoxins and EF in children and adolescents. We will begin with a review of environmental neurotoxins (lead, PCBs, manganese, and pesticides), followed by a discussion of substances of abuse. This will include prenatal exposures to teratogens, and the impact of voluntary consumption of alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine during adolescence.
Environmental neurotoxins
The effects of environmental neurotoxins are undoubtedly multifaceted and bidirectional, with numerous variables contributing to ultimate outcomes. From a methodological perspective, this has resulted in an increasing appreciation of variables including maternal education, nutrition, and other high risk environmental variables which are more likely to co-exist in an environment with neurotoxins. A full summary of the literature, particularly in regards to lead and related SES variables, is extensive and beyond the scope of this chapter. The review below is intended to be succinct and focused on EdF associated with environmental neurotoxins in childhood.
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