Neurobehavioral core test battery

WHO. 1990. WHO neurobehavioral core test battery. In Johnson BL, ed. Proceedings of the Third International Symposium on Neurobehavioral Methods in Environmental and Occupational Health, Washington, DC, Dec 14-17, 1988. Chelsea, Ml Lewis Publishers 225-244. 

Table 16.1 The WHO Neurobehavioral Core Test Battery (NBCT)...

Two different test batteries, the World Health Organization (WHO) Neurobehavioral Core Test Battery and the Neurobehavioral Evaluation System (NES), are currently the most widely used test batteries in occupational behavioral toxicology studies. Both include components of the WAIS described previously in addition to other psychometric tests of behavioral function. The WHO Neurobehavioral Core Test Battery is a pencil and paper-administered test battery, whereas the NES is a computerized test battery that has been translated into several languages and in fact presents a more extensive set of tests than does the WHO in that it includes tests of psychomotor performance, cognition, memory and learning, and perceptual ability and affect. 

Assessments of motor function are often included in the neuropsychological test batteries utilized in occupational exposure studies. Typically, these tend to be relatively simple measures of motor capabilities, probably for two reasons. The first is that the inclusion of vigilance tasks such as those described previously depends on motor coordination in addition to sensory capabilities therefore, toxicant-induced changes in such performances may already be indicative of motor impairment. This can then be pursued by inclusion of some additional and more direct assessments of motor function in the battery. The second reason relates to logistical reasons and practicalities. Test batteries such as the WHO Neurobehavioral Core Test Battery and the NFS are typically taken to the site where measurements of subjects are to be made. Thus, portability is a major consideration, and more complex assessments of motor function would incur greater equipment needs. Since the purpose of these batteries is generally to screen for adverse effects, studies providing more precise delineations of affected functions can be pursued at a later time. 

The Neurobehavioral Evaluation System 2 (NES2) is a neurobehavioral evaluation system designed to facilitate screening of populations at risk of nervous system damage due to environmental agents. This evaluation system is administered on a microcomputer. Epidemiologic research influenced the sets of tests that were included in this battery. An expert committee convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) proposed a set of core tests for this battery. Many of the core tests that were... 

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