RESUMO
Resumo Introdução: o comportamento, como uma função biológica do organismo, pode ser tomado como objeto de estudo da neuropsicologia, já que parte do propósito dessa ciência é identificar, caracterizar e compreender as variáveis que o afetam, como a exposição crônica a agentes tóxicos. Objetivo: sustentar a ideia de que o comportamento humano pode ser utilizado como medida de identificação e avaliação da exposição ambiental e ocupacional de toxicantes. Métodos: este ensaio se apoia em revisão assistemática de literatura da área de toxicologia comportamental. Resultados: buscou-se caracterizar a abordagem comportamental como uma alternativa de mensuração em estudos epidemiológicos e apresentar algumas medidas e técnicas de avaliação neurocomportamentais. Discute-se a importância da padronização das baterias neurocomportamentais e suas limitações, além de exemplificar o seu uso potencial na triagem toxicológica com solventes (hexano). Conclusão: argumentou-se em favor da importância da toxicologia comportamental como área de interesse da saúde ocupacional, assim como da utilização de avaliações comportamentais na detecção precoce e prevenção de agravos à saúde dos trabalhadores, de modo a oferecer subsídios para o desenvolvimento de processos de produção mais seguros.
Abstract Introduction: behavior, as a biological function of the organism, can be studied by neuropsychology, as this science seeks to identify, characterize, and understand the variables that affect it, such as exposure to toxic agents. Objective: to support the idea that human behavior can be used as a measure to identify and evaluate environmental and occupational exposure to toxic agents. Methods: based on a non-systematic literature review in the field of behavioral toxicology. Results: we sought to characterize the behavioral approach as a measurement alternative for epidemiological studies and presented some neurobehavioral measures and evaluation techniques. We discussed the importance and limitations of standardizing neurobehavioral test batteries and exemplified their potential use in toxicological screening with solvents (hexane). Conclusion: behavioral toxicology is an important field of study for occupational health. Behavioral evaluations can be used for early detection and prevention of occupational injuries, in order to offer subsidies for safer production processes development.
RESUMO
Children and adolescents may have occupational exposure to pesticides. Although previous studies examining prenatal pesticide exposure have identified neurobehavioral deficits in children, there are limited studies examining the impact of occupational exposure in children. The objectives of this study are to estimate exposures to the organophosphorus pesticide, chlorpyrifos (CPF), by measuring urinary levels of 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCPy), a specific CPF metabolite, and blood cholinesterase (ChE) activities and to characterize neurobehavioral performance in adolescents working as seasonal pesticide applicators and non-applicator controls. A neurobehavioral test battery, consisting of 14 tests, was used to assess a broad range of functions. Applicators performed worse than controls on the majority of tests. Principal component analysis was used to reduce the number of outcome variables and two components, focused on reasoning-short-term memory and attention-executive functioning, showed significant deficits in applicators compared to non-applicators. Elevated metabolite levels were found in the applicators compared to the non-applicators, confirming CPF exposure in the applicators. Although this study is limited by a small sample size, it provides preliminary evidence of moderate CPF exposures, decreased blood ChE in some applicators and decreased neurobehavioral performance in an adolescent working population.
