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. 2023 Mar;17(1):32-38.
doi: 10.1111/cdep.12472. Epub 2022 Dec 12.

Prenatal socioenvironmental exposures and autism spectrum disorder: A web of confusion

Aisha S Dickerson  1 , Asha S Dickerson  2
Affiliations

Prenatal socioenvironmental exposures and autism spectrum disorder: A web of confusion

Aisha S Dickerson et al. Child Dev Perspect. 2023 Mar.

Abstract

Although evidence of heritability for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is strong, studies of twin pairs suggest that at least some portion of the etiology is attributable to environmental factors, either directly or through interaction with genes. Given the multitude of environmental and psychosocial exposures that have been reported to increase atypical neurodevelopment in offspring, in this article, we summarize what prenatal air pollutant, chemical, and occupational exposures and psychosocial stressors have been reportedly associated with ASD and co-occurring neurodevelopmental disorders. We highlight consistencies in reported associations and recommend areas for research to close gaps in our understanding of environmental risk for ASD. Because this issue is of particular importance in historically marginalized communities and low- and middle-income countries, we also discuss the importance of environmental justice issues and exposure disparities in research, and we advocate for prioritizing policies to reduce disparities and improve service provision in vulnerable populations.

Keywords: environmental exposures; environmental justice; neurodevelopment.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing financial interests: No authors have any competing financial interests to declare.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
A Conceptual Illustration of Joint Environmental and Psychosocial Stressors Across Differing Time Points and Potential Modes of Action for Atypical Neurodevelopment
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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