Neurodevelopmental basis of health and disease: the 14th meeting of the International Neurotoxicology Association

Abstract

Biological events in early life are key determinants of health status in adult and aging stages. The evidence for this is compelling in neurotoxicology (Grandjean and Landrigan, 2006). The complexity of the developing nervous system creates multiple targets for the adverse structural, functional and behavioral effects of toxic chemicals: from overt neuroteratogenia to subtle influences on the functional decline occur during aging. Minamata disease is the best known example of dramatic alterations in nervous system structure and function as a result of chemical exposure during development. However, the impact of low dose exposure of several other toxic compounds on endpoints such as adolescent emotional growth, cognitive function, sensory deficits or risk of suffering neurodegenerative diseases (Grandjean and Landrigan, 2006; Cannon and Greenamyre, 2011; Bellinger, 2013) is a field of knowledge that still contains more questions than answers. The effects of toxicants on later life become more and more important as life expectancy increases. In addition to understanding the effects and underlying mechanisms, we want to predict the adverse effects on the developing nervous and sensory systems. This constitutes a major challenge for neurotoxicity testing. Facing these questions, the International Neurotoxicology Association (INA) selected the theme ''Neurodevelopmental Basis of Health and Disease'' for its 14th Meeting, held in Egmond aan Zee, The Netherlands, June 2013. Detailed information on the meeting, including lists of symposia, members of the organizing and scientific committees, awardees, sponsors, and exhibitors are included elsewhere in this Special Issue (De Groot et al., 2014).