Mercury, lead, and zinc in baby teeth of children with autism versus controls
Mercury, lead, and zinc in baby teeth of children with autism versus controls
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DOI：
10.1080/15287390601172080
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发表时间：
2007-01-01
影响因子：
2.6
通讯作者：
Legator, Marvin S.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Adams, James B.;Romdalvik, Jane;Legator, Marvin S.
本研究测定了自闭症谱系障碍儿童（n = 15，年龄6.1 +/- 2.2岁）和正常发育儿童（n = 11，年龄7 - 1.7岁）乳牙中汞、铅和锌的含量。自闭症儿童的汞含量明显（高出2.1倍），但铅和锌含量相似。自闭症儿童在出生后的前12个月口服抗生素的使用率也明显更高，在出生后的前36个月口服抗生素的使用率可能更高。乳牙是胎儿发育和婴儿早期累积接触有毒金属的良好指标，因此本研究表明自闭症儿童在胎儿/婴儿发育期间汞的身体负担更高。由于肠道菌群的改变，抗生素的使用几乎完全抑制了大鼠体内汞的排泄。因此，自闭症儿童大量使用口服抗生素可能降低了他们排泄汞的能力，因此可能部分解释了婴儿牙齿中汞含量较高的原因。婴儿时期较多使用口服抗生素也可以部分解释自闭症患者慢性胃肠道问题的高发。
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 antiobiotics 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.