The top 10 industrial chemicals linked to autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders (photos)

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  • A 2008 study put the yearly cost of treating U.S. children with environmentally mediated diseases at $76.6 billion.

    That figure might seem reductive, clearly the emotional costs of these illnesses and disorders are immeasurable, but it emphasizes the legitimacy of toxicity concerns.

    While researchers have recently made great progress in searching for genetic factors for autism , the genetic responsibility for autism may only be about 30–40%. That's according to an editorial out today in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives. The report pushes for more research on how industrial chemicals may contribute to autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD, mental retardation, and dyslexia. Here are the top ten compounds where the authors believe research would have the greatest and most immediate impact.

     

    This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com

    Caption by: Audrey Quinn

  • Automotive exhaust. (Photo: eutrophication&hypoxia/Flickr)

    This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com

    Caption by: Audrey Quinn

  • Brominated flame retardants, such as flame retardants in furniture. (Photo: star athena/Flickr)

    This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com

    Caption by: Audrey Quinn

  • Endocrine disruptors, such as those in DDT. (Photo: B W/Flickr)

    This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com

    Caption by: Audrey Quinn

  • Organophosphate pesticides, which are neurotoxic insecticides. (Photo: eutrophication&hypoxia/Flickr)

    This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com

    Caption by: Audrey Quinn

  • Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), used as dielectric and coolant fluids until they were banned in the U.S. in the 1970s. (Photo: Massachusetts Dept. of Environmental Protection/Flickr)

    This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com

    Caption by: Audrey Quinn

  • Perfluorinated compounds, which make stain-, oil-, and water-resistant materials like Teflon and Scotchgard. (Photo: Cameron Nordhold/Flickr)

    This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com

    Caption by: Audrey Quinn

  • Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, present in processed, smoked and cooked foods (Photo: Joost J. Bakker/Flickr)

    This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com

    Caption by: Audrey Quinn

  • Organochlorine pesticides, which are chlorine-containing pesticides. (Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/Flickr)

    This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com

    Caption by: Audrey Quinn

  • Lead, which is still widely produced in the United States. (Photo: Trevor Lowder)

    This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com

    Caption by: Audrey Quinn

  • Methylmercury, a mand-made pollutant stored in our food chain. (Photo: Joost J. Bakker/Flickr)

    This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com

    Caption by: Audrey Quinn

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Scientists believe the greatest and most immediate impact could come from research into these 10 compounds.

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A 2008 study put the yearly cost of treating U.S. children with environmentally mediated diseases at $76.6 billion.

That figure might seem reductive, clearly the emotional costs of these illnesses and disorders are immeasurable, but it emphasizes the legitimacy of toxicity concerns.

While researchers have recently made great progress in searching for genetic factors for autism , the genetic responsibility for autism may only be about 30–40%. That's according to an editorial out today in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives. The report pushes for more research on how industrial chemicals may contribute to autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD, mental retardation, and dyslexia. Here are the top ten compounds where the authors believe research would have the greatest and most immediate impact.

 

This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com

Caption by: Audrey Quinn

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