Prenatal Timing of Heavy Metal Exposures from Autistic and Non-Autistic Children

描述（由申请人提供）：在美国，每50个儿童中就有1个患有自闭症，人们对自闭症的病因和危险因素知之甚少。虽然遗传和环境因素被认为是共同作用的，但具体的机制尚不清楚，并且缺乏对神经发育关键时期环境危险因素的测量。本病例对照研究旨在应用一种新的早期生活金属暴露的牙科生物标志物，包括在子宫内，来识别ASD的危险因素。除了观察曝光强度，我们还会

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Little is known about the etiology or risk factors for autism, a disease affecting 1 in 50 children in the U.S. While genetic and environmental factors are thought to act together, the specific mechanisms are not known and the measurement of environmental risk factors during critical periods of neurodevelopment has been lacking. This case-control study seeks to apply a novel dental biomarker of early life metal exposure, including in utero, to identify risk factors for ASD. Beyond looking at exposure intensity, we will be able to identify differences in exposure timing between cases and controls. This will allow us to identify critical windows when exposure, even at low levels, increases the risk of ASD. Using the proposed biomarker, we will directly assess fetal exposure, and will not rely on maternal biomarkers which may only provide an indirect measure of fetal exposure to metals. This work will have substantial impact on epidemiologic investigations of the relation of early life chemical exposures to ASD and other neurodevelopmental disorders as it can be used to objectively reconstruct both exposure intensity and timing.