Autism is associated with polluted air

[Legolas]

Research conducted by University of Southern California (USC) and Children's Hospital Los Angeles scientists demonstrates that polluted air -- whether regional pollution or coming from local traffic sources -- is associated with autism.

The study titled "Traffic Related Air Pollution, Particulate Matter, and Autism," shows that exposure to traffic-related air pollution during pregnancy and the first year of life is associated with a more than two-fold risk of autism

"From studies conducted in the lab, we know that we can breathe in tiny particles and they can produce inflammation,"

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121126164255.htm

I hope this gets broad attention in the media.

 

[Meditec]

I didn't know that air pollution can affect people in much more serious matter such as autism. What we should hope for is for the act of the government and of our ownself to lessen and totally eliminate the problem.

 

[*GG*]

I didn't know that air pollution can affect people in much more serious matter such as autism. What we should hope for is for the act of the government and of our ownself to lessen and totally eliminate the problem.

Haven't read the article yet, but I think the standard of correlation DOES NOT equal causation.

GG

 

[alex3619]

Air pollution can kill. In assessing risk factors some scientists have even estimated numbers associated with dying due to hot showers which release toxic chemicals in the steam. Everything is risk, though not every association will prove to be a causal factor.

Small particulate matter from air pollution, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, can penetrate deep into the lungs and even into cells. We simply do not have the science yet to properly assess this impact.

 

[natasa778]

Something like this would only be interesting if someone dug really deep and looked into how air pollution affects mother's and child's immune system - would excessive air polution contribute to pro-inflammatory state, would pollution lower immunity putting pregnant women at greater risk for infection (which then puts baby at greater risk for autism), etc. Until that kind of in-depth research is done and can link to and add on to existing body of knowledge on autism prenatal risks and pathology, it will stay in the realm of 'correlation'.

 

[natasa778]

Also the most interesting question imo would be how much of a role would air pollution play in 'poking' endogenous retroviruses (directly or indirectly) - this one little factor could have a downstream effect and explain most of the physiopathology of autism, including prenatal risk factors, vaccine regressions, later pathologies ...

HERV-H was just recently found overactivated in autism…http://forums.phoenixrising.me/inde...xpression-in-autism-spectrum-disorders.20437/

 

[Shell]

In populations are children in lower toxic areas - such as the Hebrides or small pockets of the countryside where chemical farming might not hold sway; is the incidence of autism much less?

 

[natasa778]

In populations are children in lower toxic areas - such as the Hebrides or small pockets of the countryside where chemical farming might not hold sway; is the incidence of autism much less?

Not exactly sure but I don't think so. For example incidence is VERY high in Orkney Islands ...

 

[merylg]

Research conducted by University of Southern California (USC) and Children's Hospital Los Angeles scientists demonstrates that polluted air -- whether regional pollution or coming from local traffic sources -- is associated with autism.

The study titled "Traffic Related Air Pollution, Particulate Matter, and Autism," shows that exposure to traffic-related air pollution during pregnancy and the first year of life is associated with a more than two-fold risk of autism

"From studies conducted in the lab, we know that we can breathe in tiny particles and they can produce inflammation,"

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121126164255.htm

I hope this gets broad attention in the media.

Interesting thanks Legolas. I myself have a delayed hypersensitivity reaction to black rubber. Think of all the black rubber particles in the air from motor vehicle tyres!
Steel belted radial tyres also contain Cobalt a potential allergen.
Then...rubber caps are used to stopper vaccine bottles aren't they???

 

[Shell]

Not exactly sure but I don't think so. For example incidence is VERY high in Orkney Islands ...

So, that leaves me wondering about the source of the pollution.
The old Chenobyl cloud went over Scotland if I remember rightly - but that seems an unlikely source, and anyway has now largely dissipated.
Are the Orkney's more touristy than an out of the way place might be expected to be (Iona and Skye also spring to mind) and would that bring more traffic?
Perhaps it's one of the unanswerables until a lot more research is done.
The vaccine question hasn't gone away either.

 

[Hip]

Not exactly sure but I don't think so. For example incidence is VERY high in Orkney Islands ...

Interesting. I did not know that there are pockets of higher autism rates. Do you have any refs for this higher rate the Orkney Islands? Are there any speculations as to why rates are higher in the Orkneys?

 

[Hip]

In fact, I may have a theory why the autism rates are high in the Orkney Islands:

Autism has been linked to a lack of vitamin D during pregnancy (see here), and the Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands receive the lowest amount of sunlight in the UK, as this sunshine map of the UK shows.