Lithium in Drinking Water: Uncovering Links to Autism Risk and Environmental Factors

Lithium in Drinking Water: Uncovering Links to Autism Risk and Environmental Factors

A study published on April 3 in JAMA Pediatrics is thought to be the first to recognize naturally occurring lithium in drinking water as a potential environmental risk factor for autism. “Any contaminants in drinking water that could impact the developing human brain warrant serious investigation,” stated the lead author of the study, Beate Ritz, MD, PhD, a professor of neurology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and a professor of epidemiology and environmental health at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.

Autism not linked with MMR vaccine

Autism not linked with MMR vaccine

No association found between MMR vaccine and autism, even among children at higher risk – MMR vaccine is not found associated with an increased risk of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), revealed by researchers in a study in the JAMA, a theme issue on child health.

Thousand genes differences contribute to autism risk

Changes in scores of genes contribute to autism risk — Newfound genetic differences provide many hints at causes – Small differences in as many as a thousand genes contribute to risk for autism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This new study examined data on several types of rare, genetic differences in more than 14,000 DNA samples from parents, affected children, and unrelated individuals.

Autism linked to maternal exposure to agricultural pesticides

Autism – Study finds association between maternal exposure to agricultural pesticides – Pregnant women who lived in close proximity to fields and farms where chemical pesticides were applied experienced a two-thirds increased risk of having a child with autism spectrum disorder or other developmental delay.