Biochemical mechanisms, lessons

Among the most important lessons learned from these studies is that exposures to toxicants can yield a wide spectrum of neurotoxic effects ranging from overt encephalopathy and severe mental retardation to subtle deficits in sensory, motor, and cognitive functions. These effects depend on the timing, magnitude, and duration of exposure and many other factors (Mendola et al., 2002). Multiple mechanisms, target molecules, biochemical pathways, and cellular processes may explain the assembly of effects attributable to exposures to these substances. 

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