Biography

    Roberta White became chair of the department of environmental health in June 2003. A neuropsychologist, Dr. White studies the effects of exposures to industrial chemicals and chemical pollutants on brain function, using both behavioral measures and neuroimaging techniques. She has studied occupational lead exposures in adults, environmental lead exposure in children, prenatal exposure to methylmercury and polychlorinated biphenyls from maternal diet, and solvent exposures in children and adults. A current project examines the effects of prenatal pesticide exposure among farm workers in South Africa. Recent brain neuroimaging studies include functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in adolescents with prenatal exposure to methylmercury and biphenyls, magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) of lead-exposed workers, and structural MRI in Gulf War veterans. She has also studied the neurocognitive sequelae of neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease and is interested in gene-environment interactions underlying these disorders. Dr. White holds appointments in the Neurology and Psychology departments at BU and has trained over 100 students in environmental health, behavioral neuroscience, behavioral neurology, and neuropsychology.

In the Media

Stories
Publications
    1. Getz KD, Janulewicz PA, Rowe S, Weinberg JM, Winter MR, Martin BR, Vieira VM, White RF, Aschengrau A. Prenatal and Early Childhood Exposure to Tetrachloroethylene and Adult Vision. Environ Health Perspect. 2012 Jul 11.
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    2. Janulewicz PA, White RF, Martin BM, Winter MR, Weinberg JM, Vieira V, Aschengrau A. Adult neuropsychological performance following prenatal and early postnatal exposure to tetrachloroethylene (PCE)-contaminated drinking water. Neurotoxicol Teratol. 2012 Apr 12; 34(3):350-359.
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    3. Aschengrau A, Weinberg JM, Janulewicz PA, Romano ME, Gallagher LG, Winter MR, Martin BR, Vieira VM, Webster TF, White RF, Ozonoff DM. Occurrence of mental illness following prenatal and early childhood exposure to tetrachloroethylene (PCE)-contaminated drinking water: a retrospective cohort study. Environ Health. 2012 Jan 20; 11(1):2.
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    4. Aschengrau A, Weinberg JM, Janulewicz PA, Romano ME, Gallagher LG, Winter MR, Martin BR, Vieira VM, Webster TF, White RF, Ozonoff DM. Affinity for risky behaviors following prenatal and early childhood exposure to tetrachloroethylene (PCE)-contaminated drinking water: a retrospective cohort study. Environ Health. 2011 Dec 2; 10(1):102.
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    5. White RF, Palumbo CL, Yurgelun-Todd DA, Heaton KJ, Weihe P, Debes F, Grandjean P. Functional MRI approach to developmental methylmercury and polychlorinated biphenyl neurotoxicity. Neurotoxicology. 2011 Dec; 32(6):975-80.
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    6. White RF, Palumbo CL, Yurgelun-Todd DA, Heaton KJ, Weihi P, Debes F, Grandjean P. Functional MRI approach to developmental methylmercury and polychlorinated biphenyl neurotoxicity. Neurotoxicology. 2011; 975-980.
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    7. White RF, Sullivan K. Response to is Gulf War Illness “Real”: The jury is still out by DR Orme. The Federal Practitioner. 2011.
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    8. Aschengrau A, Weinberg JM, Jalulewicz PA, Romano ME, Gallagher LG, Winter MR, Martin BR, Vieira VM, Webster TF, White RF, Ozonoff DM. Affinity for risky behaviors following prenatal and early childhood exposure to PCE-contaminated drinking water: A retrospective cohort study. Environmental Health. 2011; (10):102.
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    9. Hoffman K, Webster TF, Weinberg JM, Aschengrau A, Janulewicz PA, White RF, Vieira VM. Spatial analysis of learning and developmental disorders in upper Cape Cod, Massachusetts using generalized additive models. Int J Health Geogr. 2010; 9:7.
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    10. White RF. , pp. 23-25, p. 68, 2010. Testimony and Prepared Statement. Hearing before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs US House of Representatives, 111th Congress. July 30, 2009. The Implications of the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs Limited Scope of Gulf War Illness Research. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, Serial No. 111-39. 2010; 23-25, 68.
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    11. White RF. Submission for the record. Hearing before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs US House of Representatives, 111th Congress. May 19, 2009. Gulf War Illness Research: Is Enough Being Done? Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, Serial No. 111-21. 2009; 73-76.
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    12. White RF, Campbell R, Echeverria D, Knox SS, Janulewicz P. Assessment of neuropsychological trajectories in longitudinal population-based studies of children. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2009 Jan; 63 Suppl 1:i15-26.
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    13. Chevrier C, Sullivan K, White RF, Comtois C, Cordier S, Grandjean P. Qualitative assessment of visuospatial errors in mercury-exposed Amazonian children. Neurotoxicology. 2009 Jan; 30(1):37-46.
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    14. Janulewicz PA, White RF, Winter MR, Weinberg JM, Gallagher LE, Vieira V, Webster TF, Aschengrau A. Risk of learning and behavioral disorders following prenatal and early postnatal exposure to tetrachloroethylene (PCE)-contaminated drinking water. Neurotoxicol Teratol. 2008 May-Jun; 30(3):175-85.
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    15. Lincoln A, Espejo D, Johnson P, Paasche-Orlow M, Speckman JL, Webber TL, White RF. Limited literacy and psychiatric disorders among users of an urban safety-net hospital’s mental health outpatient clinic. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease. 2008; (196):186-193.
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    16. Heaton KJ, Palumbo CL, Proctor SP, Yurgelun-Todd DA, White RF. Response to “Latency: An important consideration in Gulf War Syndrome” by Freidman et al. NeuroToxicology. 2007; (28):1043-1045.
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    17. Heaton KJ, Palumbo CL, Proctor SP, Killiany RJ, Yurgelun-Todd D, White RF. Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging in US Army Veterans of the 1991 Gulf War potentially exposed to sarin and cyclosarin. NeuroToxicology. 2007; (28):761-769.
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    18. White RF. Statement of Roberta White, PhD, Professor and Chair, Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health. US Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Hearing Before the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs One Hundred Tenth Congress First Session September 25, 2007. U.S. Government Printing Office: Washington, DC,. 2007; 35-37.
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    19. Debes F, Budtz-Jorgensen E, Weihe P, White RF, Grandjean P. . Impact of methylmercury exposure on neurobehavioral function at age 14 years. Neurotoxicology and Teratology. 2006; (28):363-375.
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    20. Proctor SP, Heaton KJ, Heeren T, White RF. Effects of sarin and cyclosarin exposure during the 1991 Gulf War on neurobehavioral functioning in US army veterans. NeuroToxicology. 2006; (27):931-939.
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    21. Vasterling JJ, Proctor SP, Amoroso P, Kane R, Heeren T, White RF. Neuropsychological outcomes of Army personnel following deployment to the Iraq War: A prospective examination. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2006; (296):519-529.
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    22. Vasterling JJ, Proctor SP, Amoroso P, Kane R, Heeren T, White RF. Deployment to the Iraq war and neuropsychological sequelae. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2006; (296):2678-2680.
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    23. White RF, Ozonoff D. Methylmercury. Health Effects. 2006.
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    24. White RF. Occupational and environmental neurology: a pioneer. In memorium: Robert G. Feldman, MD, 1933-2003. Am J Ind Med. 2005 Feb; 47(2):101-3.
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    25. Kold TJ, Grandjean P, Budtz-Jorgensen E, White RF, Debes F, Weihe P. Effects of breastfeeding on neuropsychological development in a community with methylmercury exposure from seafood. Journal of Exposure Analysis and Environmental Epidemiology. 2005; (26).
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    26. James KE, White RF, Kraemer, HC. Repeated split sample validation to assess logistic regression and recursive partitioning: An application to the prediction of cognitive impairment. Statistics in Medicine. 2005; (24):3019-3035.
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    27. Proctor SP, Gopal S, Imai A, Wolfe J, Ozonoff D, White RF. Spatial analysis of 1991 Gulf War troop locations in relationship with postwar health symptom reports using GIS techniques. Transactions in GIS. 2005; (9):381-396.
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    28. Weisskopf M, Hu H, Mulkern RU, White R, Aro A, Oliveiva S, Wright RO., 112: 620-625, 2004. Cognitive deficits and magnetic resonance spectroscopy in adult monozygotic twins with lead poisoning. Environmental Health Perspectives. 2004; (112):620-625.
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    29. White RF. Neuropsychological assessments in children from a longitudinal perspective for the National Children’s Study. White Paper for NIH. 2004.
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    30. Patterson WB, White RF. Symptom magnification and neurocognitive dysfunction (letter). Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2004; (46):608-610.
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    31. White RF, James KE, Vasterling JJ, Letz R, Marans K, Delaney R, Krengel M, Rose F, Kraemer HC. Neuropsychological screening for cognitive impairment using computer-assisted tasks. Assessment. 2003 Mar; 10(1):86-101.
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    32. White RF, Devine S, Kirkley S, Palumbo C. Carbon monoxide exposure and carboxyhemoglobin: Response (letter). Environmental Health Perspectives. 2003; (111):A512.
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    33. Weihe P, Debes F, White RF, Sorensen N, Budtz-Jorgensen E, Keiding N, Grandjean P. Environmental epidemiology studies lead to a decrease of exposure limit for mercury (Danish). Ugeskrift for Laeger. 2003; (165):107-111.
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    34. White RF. Chasing Neuropsychology: A Guidebook for the “General Clinician”, a review of “Treating Patients with Neuropsychological Disorders: A Clinicians’ Guide to Assessment and Referral” by Jeffrey B. Allen. Contemporary Psychology. 2003.
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    35. Budtz-Jorgensen E, Keiding N, Grandjean P, Weihe P, White RF. Consequences of exposure measurement error for confounder identification in environmental epidemiology. Statistics in Medicine. 2003; (22):3089-3100.
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    36. Grandjean P, White RF, Weihe P, Jorgensen PJ. Neurotoxic risk caused by stable and variable exposure to methylmercury from seafood. Ambulatory Pediatrics. 2003; 1(3):18-23.
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    37. Devine SA, Kirkley SM, Palumbo CL, White RF. MRI and neuropsychological correlates of carbon monoxide exposure: a case report. Environ Health Perspect. 2002 Oct; 110(10):1051-5.
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    38. White RF, James KE, Vasterling JJ, Marans K, Delaney R, Krengel M, Rose F. Interrater reliability of neuropsychological diagnoses: a Department of Veterans Affairs cooperative study. J Int Neuropsychol Soc. 2002 May; 8(4):555-65.
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    39. Cordier S, Garel M, Mandereau L, Morcel H, Doineau P, Gosme-Seguret S, Josse D, White RF, Amiel-Tison C. Neurodevelopment investigations among methylmercury-exposed children in French Guiana. Environmental Research Section A. 2002; 1-11(89).
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    40. Budtz-Jorgensen E, Keiding N, Grandjean P, Weihe P, White RF. Consequences of exposure measurement error for confounder identification in environmental epidemiology. Research Report 01/13, Department of Biostatistics, University of Copenhagen. 2002.
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    41. Weihe P, Hansen JC, Murata K, Debes F, Jorgensen PJ, Steuerwald U, White RF, Grandjean P. Neurobehavioral performance of Inuit children with increased prenatal exposure to methylmercury. International Journal of Circumpolar Health. 2002; (61):41-49.
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    42. White RF, Proctor SP, Heeren T, Wolfe J, Krengel M, Vasterling J, Lindem K, Heaton KJ, Sutker P, Ozonoff DM. Neuropsychological function in Gulf War veterans: relationships to self-reported toxicant exposures. Am J Ind Med. 2001 Jul; 40(1):42-54.
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    43. White RF. Patterns of neuropsychological impairment associated with neurotoxicants. Clinics in Occupational and Environmental Medicine: Neurotoxicology. 2001; (1):577-593.
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    44. Grandjean P, White RF. Neurobehavioral dysfunction as possible sentinel of methylmercury exposure. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment. 2001; 5(7):1079-1089.
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    45. Elias MF, Beiser A, Wolf PA, Au R, White RF, D'Agostino RB. The preclinical phase of alzheimer disease: A 22-year prospective study of the Framingham Cohort. Arch Neurol. 2000 Jun; 57(6):808-13.
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    46. Wolfe J, Proctor SP, Erickson DJ, Heeren T, Friedman MJ, Huang MT, Sutker PB, Vasterling JJ, White RF. Relationship of psychiatric status to Gulf War veterans' health problems. Psychosom Med. 1999 Jul-Aug; 61(4):532-40.
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    47. Proctor SP, Heeren T, White RF, Wolfe J, Borgos MS, Davis JD, Pepper L, Clapp R, Sutker PB, Vasterling JJ, Ozonoff D. Health status of Persian Gulf War veterans: self-reported symptoms, environmental exposures and the effect of stress. Int J Epidemiol. 1998 Dec; 27(6):1000-10.
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    48. White RF, Proctor SP. Solvents and neurotoxicity. Lancet. 1997 Apr 26; 349(9060):1239-43.
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    49. White RF, Feldman RG, Eviator II, Jabre JF, Niles CA. Hazardous waste and neurobehavioral effects: a developmental perspective. Environ Res. 1997; 73(1-2):113-24.
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    50. White RF. Faroe Islands study. Proceedings, 1997 American Fisheries Society Forum on Contaminants in Fish. Seattle: EVS Environmental Consultants. 1997.
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    51. Murata K, Araki S, Yokoyama K, Okumura T, Ishimatsu S, Takasu N, White RF. Asymptomatic sequelae to acute sarin poisoning in the central and autonomic nervous system six months after Tokyo subway attack. Journal of Neurology. 1997; 601-606(244).
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    52. Seshadri S, Wolf PA, Beiser A, Au R, McNulty K, White RF, D’Agostino RB. The lifetime risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease: The impact of mortality on risk-estimates in the Framingham study. Neurology. 1997; (49):1496-1504.
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    53. Krengel M, White RF, Diamond R, Letz R, Cyrus P, Durso R. A comparison of NES2 and traditional neuropsychological tests in a neurologic patient sample. Neurotoxicol Teratol. 1996 Jul-Aug; 18(4):435-9.
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    54. White RF, Diamond R, Krengel M, Lindem K, Feldman RG, Letz R, Eisen E, Wegman D. Validation of the NES2 in patients with neurologic disorders. Neurotoxicol Teratol. 1996 Jul-Aug; 18(4):441-8.
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    55. Proctor SP, White RF, Robins TG, Echeverria D, Rocskay AZ. Effect of overtime work on cognitive function in automotive workers. Scand J Work Environ Health. 1996 Apr; 22(2):124-32.
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    56. Feldman RG, White RF. Role of the neurologist in hazard identification and risk assessment. Environ Health Perspect. 1996 Apr; 104 Suppl 2:227-37.
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    57. Myers RH, Schaefer EJ, Wilson PW, D'Agostino R, Ordovas JM, Espino A, Au R, White RF, Knoefel JE, Cobb JL, McNulty KA, Beiser A, Wolf PA. Apolipoprotein E epsilon4 association with dementia in a population-based study: The Framingham study. Neurology. 1996 Mar; 46(3):673-7.
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    58. Liebson E, White RF, Albert ML. Cognitive inconsistencies in abnormal illness behavior and neurological disease. J Nerv Ment Dis. 1996 Feb; 184(2):122-5.
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    59. Weihe P, Grandjean PA, Debes F, White RF. Health implications of the Faroe Islanders of heavy metals and PCBs from pilot whales. Science of the Total Environment. 1996; (186):141-148.
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    60. White RF, Proctor SP, Echeverria D, Schweikert J, Feldman RG. Neurobehavioral effects of acute and chronic mixed-solvent exposure in the screen printing industry. Am J Ind Med. 1995 Aug; 28(2):221-31.
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    61. White RF, Grandjean P. An overview on human studies on CNS effects of methylmercury. Proceedings of National Forum on Mercury in Fish. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water, EPA. 1995; 109-112.
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    62. Cobb JL, Wolf PA, Au R, White RF, D'Agostino RB. The effect of education on the incidence of dementia and Alzheimer's disease in the Framingham study. Neurology. 1995; (24):1707-1712.
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    63. Diamond R, White RF, Gerr F, Feldman RG. A case of developmental exposure to inorganic mercury. Child Neuropsychology. 1995; (1):140-149.
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    64. White RF, Gerr F, Cohen RF, Green R, Lezak MD, Lybarger J, Mack J, Silbergeld E, Valciukas J, Chappell W, et al. Criteria for progressive modification of neurobehavioral batteries. Neurotoxicol Teratol. 1994 Sep-Oct; 16(5):511-24.
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    65. White RF, Robins TG, Proctor S, Echeverria D, Rocskay AS. Neuropsychological effects of exposure to naphtha among automotive workers. Occup Environ Med. 1994 Feb; 51(2):102-12.
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    66. Nelson NA, Robins TG, White RF, Garrison RP. A case control study of chronic neuropsychiatric disease and organic solvent exposure in automobile assembly plant workers. Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 1994; (51):302-307.
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    67. White RF, Debes F, Dahl R, Grandjean P. Developmental and field testing of a neuropsychological test battery to assess the effects of methlymercury exposure in the Faroe Islands. Proceedings of the International Symposium on Assessment of Environmental Pollution and Health Effects from Methylmercury. World Health Organization. 1994.
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    68. Goldman RH, Kalis SN, White RF, Hu H. Lead poisoning from mobilization of bone stores during thyrotoxicosis. American Journal of Industrial Medicine. 1994; (25):417-424.
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    69. White RF, Diamond R, Proctor S, Morey C, Hu H. Residual cognitive deficits 50 years after lead poisoning during childhood. Br J Ind Med. 1993 Jul; 50(7):613-22.
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    70. White RF, Feldman RG, Moss MB, Proctor SP. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), neurobehavioral testing, and toxic encephalopathy: two cases. Environ Res. 1993 Apr; 61(1):117-23.
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    71. Van Reekum R, Conway C, Gansler D, White RF, Bachman DL. Neurobehavioral study of borderline personality disorder. Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience. 1993; (18):121-129.
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    72. Diamond R, White RF, Myers RH, Mastromauro C, Koroshetz WJ, Butters N, Rothstein DM, Moss MB, Vasterling J. Evidence of presymptomatic cognitive decline in Huntington's disease. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol. 1992 Nov; 14(6):961-75.
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    73. Feldman RG, White RF. Lead neurotoxicity and disorders of learning. J Child Neurol. 1992 Oct; 7(4):354-9.
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    74. White RF, Proctor SP. Research and clinical criteria for development of neurobehavioral test batteries. J Occup Med. 1992 Feb; 34(2):140-8.
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    75. Bornstein RA, White RF, Hom J. Recommendations for education and training of nondoctoral personnel in clinical neuropsychology. The Clinical Neuropsychologist. 1991; (5):20-23.
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    76. White RF, Feldman RG, Travers PH. Neurobehavioral effects of toxicity due to metals, solvents, and insecticides. Clin Neuropharmacol. 1990 Oct; 13(5):392-412.
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    77. White RF. Emotional and cognitive correlates of multiple sclerosis. J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci. 1990; 2(4):422-8.
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    78. White RF. Review of Communication and Cognitive Disorders in Normal Aging and Dementia. The Clinical Neuropsychologist. 1990; (4):94-97.
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    79. Aldrich MS, Foster NL, White RF, Bluemlein L, Prokopowicz G. Sleep abnormalities in progressive supranuclear palsy. Ann Neurol. 1989 Jun; 25(6):577-81.
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    80. Foster NL, Aldrich MS, Bluemlein L, White RF, Berent S. Failure of cholinergic agonist RS-86 to improve cognition and movement in PSP despite effects on sleep. Neurology. 1989 Feb; 39(2 Pt 1):257-61.
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    81. White RF. Review of Understanding Brain Damage. The Clinical Neuropsychologist. 1989; (3):193-196.
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    82. Cohen L, Bongar B, Howard GF, White RF. Pseudostatus epilepticus. Psychosomatics. 1988; (29):116-118.
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    83. White RF. The role of neuropsychological testing in the assessment of solvent exposure. The Occupational and Environmental Medicine Report. 1988; (2):54-56.
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    84. Smith S, White RF, Lyon L, Granholm E, Butters N. Priming semantic relations in patients with Huntington's disease. Brain and Language. 1988; 27-40(33).
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    85. White RF. . , 1:153-160, 1987. Differential diagnosis of probable Alzheimer's disease and solvent encephalopathy in older workers. The Clinical Neuropsychologist. 1987; (1):153-160.
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    86. White RF. Review of Neuropsychological Assessment of Neuropsychiatric Disorders. The Clinical Neuropsychologist. 1987; (1):267-273.
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    87. White RF. The role of the neuropsychologist in the evaluation of toxic central nervous system disorders. Seminars in Occupational Medicine. 1986; (1):191-196.
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    88. Baker EL, White RF, Murawski B. . 1International Journal of Mental Health. Clinical evaluation of neurobehavioral effects of occupational exposure to organic solvents and lead. International Journal of Mental Health. 1985; (14):135-158.
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    89. Patterson WB, White RF. Short and long-term effects of "blanket wash". Journal of Occupational Medicine. 1985; (27):536-537.
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    90. Cohen LM, Anderson G, White RF, Griffing G, Melby J. Enalapril and hypertension. American Journal of Psychiatry. 1984; (141):1012-1013.
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    91. Baker EL, Feldman RG, White RF, Harley JP, Niles C, Dinse G, Berkey K. Occupational lead neurotoxicity, a behavioral and electrophysiologic evaluation: I. Study design and year one results. British Journal of Industrial Medicine. 1984; (41):352-361.
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