Collaborative Behavioral Teratology Study: preliminary research.

Prior to the beginning of the Collaborative Behavioral Teratology Study (CBTS), extensive preliminary experiments were conducted. Several experiments were conducted to permit the selection and verification of dosage levels of d-amphetamine sulfate and methylmercuric chloride to be used in the CBTS. These studies included evaluations of any teratogenic effects produced by selected concentrations of the chemicals, the potential pathology produced in the dams and offspring, and the postnatal behavioral consequences of the prenatal exposures. This preliminary research allowed the determination of the most appropriate experimental design for the CBTS, verified the practicality of the schedule of work, assured that all necessary procedural details were specified, and provided a database for the determination of the most appropriate statistical techniques for the analyses of the data. This paper presents the details and results of the preliminary research performed prior to beginning the CBTS.