A new study says air pollution — especially pollution caused by car exhaust — may be a significant cause of rising autism rates in children.
Exposure to nitrogen oxide (NO) — produced by burning fuel — while a mother is pregnant or in the early months of life may pose a “significant risk” for a child to develop autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to a study published Nov. 12 in the journal Brain Medicine.
” ‘NO’ is a common air pollutant that is mainly produced by emissions from vehicles and the burning of fossil and industrial fuels. Exposure to NO and its derivative NO2 during pregnancy and early childhood can disrupt normal brain development,” the study authors wrote.
Stock image of the exhaust pipe.
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“The timing of his presentation is crucial. Exposure to these pollutants during pregnancy and early postnatal development poses a significant risk of ASD because these periods are critical for brain development.”
The study noted that “individuals with a genetic predisposition to ASD may be more sensitive to the adverse effects of NO exposure.”
The study also looked at other air pollutants, such as ozone, fine particulate matter and other emissions, and found that together these environmental toxins increase the risk of autism.
“Benzene is a volatile organic compound commonly found in vehicle emissions, industrial processes and tobacco smoke. Maternal exposure to NO2 and benzene during pregnancy may also increase the risk of ASD,” the study authors wrote.
The way it works, the authors found, is that environmental toxins cause inflammation, and “long-term neuroinflammation induced by NO exposure has been shown to affect the activity of brain regions involved in social and cognitive functions, which are typically impaired in ASD.”
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Stock image of a truck on the highway.
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As the authors of the study explained, “exposure to air pollution during pregnancy can activate the mother’s immune system, leading to inflammation and altered fetal brain development. Elevated concentrations of inflammation-related cytokines in the serum of mothers in utero and children during early life are associated with poorer neurodevelopmental outcomes.”
The American Lung Association’s State of the Air report found that nearly 40% of Americans live in places with “unhealthy levels of air pollution.”
According to the latest data from the US Centers for Disease Control, 1 in 36 children are diagnosed with ASD — up from 1 in 44 just two years earlier.
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Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education