Neurotoxicity test batteries are collections o f individual tests assembled for the purpose of detecting multiple aspects o f CNS dysfunction in experimental animals. The use of such test batteries has grown substantially over the last 20 years and much has been learned from this experience about the design, analysis, and interpretation of test batteries. This review discusses the advantages and disadvantages o f test batteries and the design considerations that enter into the process of developing a battery. At the heart of test battery development is a series of balancing factors that must be weighed by the investigator in order t o determine the relative gain of each aspect against the associated cost. The most global issue that must be confronted is that of breadth versus depth of coverage o f various CNS functional domains. This process determines what types of tests t o include in a given test battery. While test batteries offer some distinct advantages, their limitations are often overlooked in the early stages of planning. The goal of this review is t o present these limiting factors so that investigators may understand the problems they will confront both before and after the experiment is performed in order t o help maximize the chances of a successful outcome.