Neurotoxicology in the 1990s.

During the last ten years, neurotoxicology has entered the mainstream of environmental toxicology as evidenced by numerous national and international conferences, formation of societies related to neurotoxicology, establishment and support of journals devoted to neurotoxicology and reliance of regulatory agencies on neurotoxicological endpoints. Over the last ten years, agreement seems to have been reached concerning the need for and use of neurotoxicological tests for hazard identification. With regard to the future of neurotoxicology, there are a number of important issues that deserve attention, including 1) arriving at a commonly accepted definition of neurotoxicology, 2) the impact of new technology, 3) development of biological markers for neurotoxicology, 4) neurotoxicology of chemical mixtures, 5) relationship between environmental agents and neurodegenerative diseases, 6) use of in vitro procedures in neurotoxicology, 7) risk assessment and 8) development of database for specific neurotoxicants. The last ten years have been productive ones for neurotoxicology. The next ten years should mark a new phase of development marked by significant progress in a number of important areas in environmental toxicology.