Causes of autism
| Subclass of | epidemiology of autism, etiology, cause  |
|---|---|
| Facet give | autism |
De causes of autism be a subject of scientific research, buh understanding of de etiology of autism be incomplete.[1] E be influenced by a complex interplay of genetic, epigenetic, prenatal, perinatal, den environmental factors. Genetics play a major role, plus heritability estimates wey dey range from 60–90%. De novo mutations—wey dey include copy number variations den gene-disrupting mutations—contribute to approximately 30–40% of cases. However, chaw autism cases involve complex interactions among multiple inherited genetic variants, chaw of wich be still unknown.[1]
Epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation den genomic imprinting, sanso dey influence gene expression den susceptibility, often dey interact plus environmental exposures. In rare cases, autism be associated plus agents wey dey cause birth defects.[2]
Prenatal risk factors dey include advanced parental age, maternal metabolic anaa autoimmune disorders, infections, den prenatal stress, while perinatal risks dey involve preterm birth, low birth weight, den birth complications. Postnatal mechanisms be proposed, wey dey include immune dysregulation, gastrointestinal abnormalities, oxidative stress, den neural circuit differences, though dese remain largely unproven wey e be de focus of ongoing research. Sam Neanderthal-derived genetic variants fi influence susceptibility. Current high-quality evidence dey show no causal link between prenatal use of paracetamol den autism.[3][4][5][6]
Overwhelming scientific evidence dey show no causal association between thiomersal den vaccines, wey dey include de measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, den autism.[7] Na parental concern about vaccines lead to a decreasing uptake of childhood immunizations den an increasing likelihood of measles outbreaks.[8][9] De refrigerator mother theory be conclusively refuted by scientific evidence.
References
[edit | edit source]- 1 2 Waye MM, Cheng HY (April 2018). "Genetics and epigenetics of autism: A Review". Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences (Review). 72 (4): 228–244. doi:10.1111/pcn.12606. eISSN 1440-1819. PMID 28941239. S2CID 206257210.
- ↑ Arndt TL, Stodgell CJ, Rodier PM (2005). "The teratology of autism". International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience (Review). 23 (2–3): 189–199. doi:10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2004.11.001. PMID 15749245. S2CID 17797266.
- ↑ "Use of paracetamol during pregnancy unchanged in the EU | European Medicines Agency (EMA)". www.ema.europa.eu (in English). 2025-09-23. Retrieved 2025-09-23.
- ↑ "SOGC Position Statement on the use of Acetaminophen for Analgesia and Fever in Pregnancy" (PDF).
- ↑ "WHO statement on autism-related issues". www.who.int (in English). Retrieved 2025-09-25.
- ↑ D'Antonio, Francesco; Flacco, Maria Elena; Valle, Lorenza Della; Prasad, Smriti; Manzoli, Lamberto; Samara, Athina; Khalil, Asma (2026). "Prenatal paracetamol exposure and child neurodevelopment: a systematic review and meta-analysis". The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology, & Women's Health (in English). 0 (0). doi:10.1016/S3050-5038(25)00211-0. ISSN 3050-5038.
- ↑ "Timeline: Thimerosal in Vaccines (1999-2010)". CDC. 19 August 2020. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
- ↑ Wilder-Smith AB, Qureshi K (March 2020). "Resurgence of Measles in Europe: A Systematic Review on Parental Attitudes and Beliefs of Measles Vaccine". Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health. 10 (1): 46–58. doi:10.2991/jegh.k.191117.001. PMC 7310814. PMID 32175710.
- ↑ Gidengil C, Chen C, Parker AM, Nowak S, Matthews L (October 2019). "Beliefs around childhood vaccines in the United States: A systematic review". Vaccine. 37 (45): 6793–6802. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2019.08.068. PMC 6949013. PMID 31562000.
External links
[edit | edit source]
- Reich, D. (2018). "Encounters with Neanderthals". Who we are and how we got here: ancient DNA and the new science of the human past. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-882125-0.