Scope

Our mission is to build an open access platform in the field of Neurotoxicology with a focus on human relevance. Neurotoxicology is defined as the science that deals with the adverse effects of chemical, biological or physical elements on the nervous system. In addition to harmful direct effects there is increasing awareness that exposure to such noxae might induce long-term adversity to the nervous system by contributing to neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease, dementia, autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorders (ADHD). However, we often lack a mechanistic understanding on how these compounds impact disease. Mechanisms of toxicity or disease are commonly complex because the nervous system is the most multifaceted organ of the human body. Thus, a broad range of expertise and evidence is needed that enhances our understanding of its vulnerability, function and responses to environmental or medical exposure.

Lessons from high attrition rates during the drug development process concerning the nervous system teach us the human uniqueness of brain physiology and pathology. Therefore, we encourage the authors of publications submitted to Neurotoxicology to emphasize human relevance in their studies. This can be approached in different ways including e.g. use of human-relevant cell systems, showing/discussing translation of animal studies to human physiology or pathology, extrapolating human-relevant exposure, or performing epidemiological studies. Publication of data without human translation is not supported.

To promote the translation of Neurotoxicity to human adverse outcomes, the Neurotoxicology section encourages submission of manuscripts contributing to:

•        Mechanistic understanding of human adverse effects induced by xenobiotics or other noxae on the nervous system

•        New Approach Methods (NAMs) to assess neurotoxicity and developmental neurotoxicity

•        Risk assessment, risk management, and regulation of compounds with a potential target of the nervous system

•        Epidemiological studies of (developmental) neurotoxicants

•        Biomarkers of neurotoxicity

•        Species differences in their susceptibility to neurotoxic compounds

•        Development of Adverse Outcome Pathways (AOPs) for (developmental) neurotoxicity

•        High-content and high-throughput methods to measure neurotoxicity in vitro

•        Disease models for neurodevelopment or neurodegeneration

•        Gene-environment interaction

Submission

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