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Detection and characterization of chemically-induced toxic effects in the nervous system represent a major challenge for registration and assessment of chemicals. So far, no in vitro method for evaluating the neurotoxic hazard has yet been validated and accepted for regulatory purpose. In vivo, neurotoxicological assessments exploit the fact that the activity of neurons in the central and peripheral nervous system has functional consequences. The microelectrode array (MEA) assay consists of a culture chamber into which an integrated array of microelectrodes is capable of measuring extracellular electrophysiology (spikes and bursts) from electro-active tissues. A wide variety of electrically excitable biological tissues may be placed onto the chips including primary cultures of nervous system tissue. Recordings from this type of in vitro cultured system are non invasive, give label free evaluations and provide a higher throughput than conventional electrophysiological techniques. In this study 20 blinded substances were tested in a dose-response curve on embryonic rat cortical neuronal networks on a MEA for their toxicity. The experimental procedure consisted of evaluating the firing activity (spiking rate) and modification/reduction in response to chemical administration. Native/reference activity, 30 minutes of activity recording per dilution, plus the reversibility/recovery points (after 24 hours) were recorded. The IC50 ranges were indicated. The preliminary data, using a set of chemicals with different mode-of-actions (13 known to be neurotoxic, 2 non neuroactive and not toxic and 5 not neuroactive but toxic) show good predictivity (sensitivity: 0.69; specificity: 1.0; accuracy: 0.80). Thus, the MEA with a neuronal network has the potency to become a powerful tool to evaluate the neurotoxicity of substances in vitro., JRC.DG.I.6-Systems toxicology