California neuropsychological screening battery (CNS/B I & II)

Neuropsychological assessment of individuals exposed to workplace or environmental neurotoxins is a lengthy, highly specialized, and costly endeavor. Literature that documents the central nervous effects of neurotoxins is reviewed, and neuropsychological tests currently used in this type of assessment are discussed. The California Neuropsychological Screening Battery (CNS/B I & II) was designed to afford rapid and broad assessment of the variety of brain functions typically affected by toxic brain injuries. The CNS/B I & II is comprised of: (1) Wechsler Memory Scale; (2) Visual Information Processing; (3) WAIS-R subtests of: Digit Span, Vocabulary, Block Design, Arithmetic, and Digit Symbol; (4) Trail Making Test A and B; (5) Dynamometer; (6) Finger Tapping Test; (7) Purdue Pegboard; (8) Benton Visual Retention Test; and (9) Neurotoxic Anxiety Scale (Bowler, Becker, & Harrison, 1985). Administration time is 50 to 60 minutes. The CNS B/ I & II facilitates intraindividual and intergroup comparisons through examination of subtest scores within the battery.