Evaluation of neurotoxicity potential in rats: the functional observational battery.

This unit describes the functional observational battery (FOB), a behavioral screening procedure commonly used in safety pharmacology and toxicology studies to assess potentially adverse effects of test agents on the central nervous system. The battery includes general observations and the determination of reactivity to various stimuli. Also presented is the severity score index for analyzing individual measurements and evaluations over a range of endpoints. The severity score index can be used to identify, quantify, and describe the effects of compounds on neurological, autonomic, and behavioral functions.