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Toxic Exposure

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Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology

Synonyms

Neurotoxicity; Poisoning

Short Description or Definition

Toxins are most simply defined as poisons. Going strictly by definition, a toxin is different from a poison in that the former is produced by a biological process and the latter is not biologically derived. Venoms are considered toxins that are delivered via injection (bite, sting). However, in common parlance, even among various scientific disciplines, the terms “toxin” and “poison” are used relatively interchangeably. In keeping with this common usage, “toxic exposure” is defined here to be a direct or an indirect contact with any natural or man-made substance or agent that can lead to deleterious changes in body structure or function, including illness or death.

Categorization

The list of categories of toxic substances and agents is potentially inclusive of every substance known. As Paracelsus (1493–1541), the purported father of toxicology, is reputed to have remarked, “There is nothing without poisonous qualities....

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References and Readings

  • Grandjean, P., & Landrigan, P. (2006). Developmental neurotoxicity of industrial chemicals. The Lancet, 368(9553), 2167–2178.

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  • Hartman, D. (1995). Neuropsychological toxicology. New York: Plenum Press.

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  • Niesink, R., Jaspers, R., Kornet, L., van Ree, J., & Tilson, H. (1999). Introduction to neurobehavioral toxicology: Food and environment. New York: CRC Press.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neuropsychology, Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana, 4141 Shore Drive, Indianapolis, IN, 46254, USA

    Bradley J. Hufford

Authors
  1. Bradley J. Hufford
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Bradley J. Hufford .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Richmond, Virgin Islands, USA

    Jeffrey Kreutzer

  2. Kessler Foundation , West Orange, New Jersey, USA

    John DeLuca

  3. Suite 200 , Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, USA

    Bruce Caplan

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© 2016 Springer International Publishing AG

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Hufford, B.J. (2016). Toxic Exposure. In: Kreutzer, J., DeLuca, J., Caplan, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-56782-2_285-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-56782-2_285-3

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-56782-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-56782-2

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