Early environmental factors in autism

✍ Scribed by Rodier, Patricia M. ;Hyman, Susan L.

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1998
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 88 KB
• Volume: 4
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1080-4013
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1098-2779(1998)4:2<121::aid-mrdd9>3.0.co;2-s

✦ Synopsis

Genetic and environmental influences are not mutually exclusive as causes of birth defects. Rather, both contribute to the etiology of many congenital anomalies. Recent results from studies of autism in twins argue that this is the case for autism spectrum disorders. Thus, even after the genetic causes of autism are known, it will be necessary to identify environmental factors that contribute to the expression of the symptoms. The first half of this review describes what has been learned from research on exogenous influences in autism, discussing studies of infections, inoculations, general pre-and perinatal factors, family histories, and drug and chemical exposures. The second discusses gene-environment interactions in other birth defects and the methods by which teratogens have been discovered. The role of known genetic syndromes in the etiology of autism is discussed with attention to whether their associations with the disorder are genetic or teratologic in nature.

1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.