Recent Advances in Understanding Autism: Focus on Environmental Factors
A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Toxicology and Public Health".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (27 March 2023) | Viewed by 3401
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition with a varied phenotype and multifactorial causes. Both genetic and environmental contributors are known to be involved, and while etiology is not fully understood, evidence suggests prenatal origins and that the prenatal and early postnatal periods represent sensitive windows in which environmental factors may exert the strongest effects on autism and other related outcomes. Work addressing the relationship between environmental exposures and autism has advanced remarkably over the past decade or so, demonstrating positive associations between gestational and early life air pollution exposure and autism, as well as links with prenatal exposure to various classes of chemical compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls, pesticides, and phthalates, and inverse associations with certain nutrients, including periconceptional folic acid supplementation and prenatal vitamin D levels. These are just a few examples of the large set of environmental factors studied and progress made in the field. While a few studies of joint effects of environmental exposures, and gene by environment effects, have been published, more work is needed that addresses how the combined effects of these and other exposures relate to autism. In addition, studies addressing specificity vs. generalizability of environmental exposure effects in relation to autism vs. other developmental conditions are also needed to advance our understanding of etiology. Furthermore, work identifying novel environmental risk factors for autism and related outcomes, addressing disparities and environmental justice issues, and clarifying and refining our understanding of existing environmental exposure associations (such as addressing timing and dose effects and determining underlying mechanisms), is also sorely needed. Papers addressing these topics, including both reviews and original research articles, are invited for this Special Issue.
Dr. Kristen Lyall
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- autism/autism spectrum disorder
- risk factors
- gestation
- environmental exposures
- air pollution
- endocrine-disrupting chemicals
- prenatal diet
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