Chronic Fluoride Exposure and the Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Anna Strunecka and Otakar Strunecky
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Anna Strunecka: The Institute of Technology and Business, Okružní 517/10, 370 01 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
Otakar Strunecky: The Institute of Technology and Business, Okružní 517/10, 370 01 České Budějovice, Czech Republic

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 18, 1-21

Abstract: The continuous rise of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) prevalent in the past few decades is causing an increase in public health and socioeconomic concern. A consensus suggests the involvement of both genetic and environmental factors in the ASD etiopathogenesis. Fluoride (F) is rarely recognized among the environmental risk factors of ASD, since the neurotoxic effects of F are not generally accepted. Our review aims to provide evidence of F neurotoxicity. We assess the risk of chronic F exposure in the ASD etiopathology and investigate the role of metabolic and mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress and inflammation, immunoexcitotoxicity, and decreased melatonin levels. These symptoms have been observed both after chronic F exposure as well as in ASD. Moreover, we show that F in synergistic interactions with aluminum’s free metal cation (Al 3+ ) can reinforce the pathological symptoms of ASD. This reinforcement takes place at concentrations several times lower than when acting alone. A high ASD prevalence has been reported from countries with water fluoridation as well as from endemic fluorosis areas. We suggest focusing the ASD prevention on the reduction of the F and Al 3+ burdens from daily life.

Keywords: autism spectrum disorder; ASD prevalence; aluminum; endemic fluorosis; chronic fluoride exposure; immunoexcitotoxicity; neurotoxicity; socioeconomic status; water fluoridation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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