Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) remains one of the most detrimental neurodevelopmental conditions in society today. Common symptoms include diminished social and communication ability. Investigations on autism etiology remain largely ambiguous. Previous studies have highlighted exposure to lead (Pb) may play a role in ASD. In addition, lead has been shown to be one of the most prevalent metal exposures associated with neurological deficits. A semi-systematic review was conducted using public databases in order to evaluate the extent of lead’s role in the etiology of autism. This review examines the relationship between autistic comorbid symptoms—such as deterioration in intelligence scores, memory, language ability, and social interaction—and lead exposure. Specifically, the mechanisms of action of lead exposure, including changes within the cholinergic, dopaminergic, glutamatergic, gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic systems, are discussed. The goal of this review is to help illustrate the connections between lead’s mechanistic interference and the possible furthering of the comorbidities of ASD. Considerations of the current data and trends suggest a potential strong role for lead in ASD.
Highlights
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by deterioration in communication and social interaction
The focus of this study was to determine the prevalence of autism in relation to lead exposure and to explore the mechanisms contributing to autistic development
This review highlights the connection between lead exposure and the furthering of comorbidities associated with autism
Summary
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by deterioration in communication and social interaction. Cognitive and occupational impairment may occur as well. Autism has become one of the most common disorders among children. In 2016, 1 in 54 children in the United States had been diagnosed with ASD according to the Center of Disease Control (CDC) [1]. Due to increased access to healthcare surveillance, the prevalence of ASD has increased in recent years. According to the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network (ADDM), autism prevalence increased by 78% between 2002 and 2008 in the U.S [2]. Common symptoms include repetitive behaviors, difficulty in memory and focus, lowered cognitive ability, deficits in language, inability to distinguish feelings, and limited eye contact [3,4]
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