environmental impact: autism

[Jim Devine <jdevine03@xxxxxxxxx>]

Mercury, Lead, And Zinc In Baby Teeth Of Children With Autism Versus Controls.

     Adams JB, Romdalvik J, Ramanujam VM, Legator MS.
     J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2007 Jun;70(12):1046-51.
     Chemical and Materials Engineering, Arizona State University,
Tempe, Arizona, USA.

This study determined the level of mercury, lead, and zinc in baby
teeth of children with autism spectrum disorder (n = 15, age 6.1 +/-
2.2 yr) and typically developing children (n = 11, age = 7 +/- 1.7
yr). Children with autism had significantly (2.1-fold) higher levels
of mercury but similar levels of lead and similar levels of zinc.
Children with autism
also had significantly higher usage of oral antibiotics during their
first 12 mo of life, and possibly higher usage of oral antibiotics
during their first 36 mo of life.

     Baby teeth are a good measure of cumulative exposure to toxic
metals during fetal development and early infancy, so this study
suggests that children with autism had a higher body burden of mercury
during fetal/infant development. Antibiotic use is known to almost
completely inhibit excretion of mercury in rats due to alteration of
gut flora. Thus, higher use of oral antibiotics in the children with
autism may have reduced their ability to excrete mercury, and hence
may partially explain the higher level in baby teeth. Higher usage of
oral antibiotics in infancy may also partially explain the high
incidence of chronic gastrointestinal problems in individuals with
autism.

     PMID: 17497416 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

It's interesting that child vaccines don't play a role here...
--
Jim Devine / "The price one pays for pursuing any profession or
calling is an intimate knowledge of its ugly side." -- James Baldwin