Early-Life Exposure to Environmental Air Pollution and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Review of Available Evidence

Giovanni Imbriani, Alessandra Panico, Tiziana Grassi, Adele Idolo, Francesca Serio, Francesco Bagordo, Giovanni De Filippis, Donato De Giorgi, Gianfranco Antonucci, Prisco Piscitelli, Manuela Colangelo, Luigi Peccarisi, Maria Rosaria Tumolo, Roberto De Masi, Alessandro Miani and Antonella De Donno
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Giovanni Imbriani: Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technology, University of Salento, via Monteroni 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy
Alessandra Panico: Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technology, University of Salento, via Monteroni 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy
Tiziana Grassi: Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technology, University of Salento, via Monteroni 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy
Adele Idolo: Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technology, University of Salento, via Monteroni 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy
Francesca Serio: Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technology, University of Salento, via Monteroni 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy
Francesco Bagordo: Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technology, University of Salento, via Monteroni 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy
Giovanni De Filippis: Local Health Authority ASL Le, 73100 Lecce, Italy
Donato De Giorgi: Local Health Authority ASL Le, 73100 Lecce, Italy
Gianfranco Antonucci: Local Health Authority ASL Le, 73100 Lecce, Italy
Prisco Piscitelli: Local Health Authority ASL Le, 73100 Lecce, Italy
Manuela Colangelo: Italian Association of Health, Environment and Society (AISAS), via De Gasperi 22, Lizzanello, 73023 Lecce, Italy
Luigi Peccarisi: Local Health Authority ASL Le, 73100 Lecce, Italy
Maria Rosaria Tumolo: Research Unit of Brindisi, c/o ex Osp. Di Summa, Institute for Research on Population and Social Policies, National Research Council, Piazza Di Summa, 72100 Brindisi, Italy
Roberto De Masi: Local Health Authority ASL Le, 73100 Lecce, Italy
Alessandro Miani: Italian Society of Environmental Medicine, 02100 Milan, Italy
Antonella De Donno: Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technology, University of Salento, via Monteroni 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 3, 1-24

Abstract: The number of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has rapidly increased globally. Genetic and environmental factors both contribute to the development of ASD. Several studies showed linkage between prenatal, early postnatal air pollution exposure and the risk of developing ASD. We reviewed the available literature concerning the relationship between early-life exposure to air pollutants and ASD onset in childhood. We searched on Medline and Scopus for cohort or case-control studies published in English from 1977 to 2020. A total of 20 articles were selected for the review. We found a strong association between maternal exposure to particulate matter (PM) during pregnancy or in the first years of the children’s life and the risk of the ASD. This association was found to be stronger with PM 2.5 and less evident with the other pollutants. Current evidence suggest that pregnancy is the period in which exposure to environmental pollutants seems to be most impactful concerning the onset of ASD in children. Air pollution should be considered among the emerging risk factors for ASD. Further epidemiological and toxicological studies should address molecular pathways involved in the development of ASD and determine specific cause–effect associations.

Keywords: autism spectrum disorder; environmental air pollution; early life exposure; pregnancy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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