The number of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has surged in recent decades, sparking increased research into potential contributing factors. A recent study has uncovered a key difference in how children with ASD and ADHD process common plastic additives, which may play a role in their development.
The study, conducted by researchers from Rowan University and Rutgers University in the U.S., reveals that children with ASD and ADHD struggle to efficiently remove bisphenol A (BPA) a common plastic additive from their bodies, compared to neurotypical children. BPA, widely used in plastics and the lining of food and drink cans, has been previously linked to various health issues, including hormone disruption, breast cancer, and infertility.
The study analyzed three groups of children: 66 diagnosed with autism, 46 with ADHD, and 37 neurotypical children. Researchers focused on glucuronidation, a chemical process by which the body eliminates toxins through urine. They discovered that children with ASD and ADHD were less efficient at clearing BPA, resulting in prolonged exposure to its potentially harmful effects.
“Detoxification of these two plasticizers is compromised in children with ASD and ADHD,” the researchers wrote. As a result, these children’s tissues are exposed to higher levels of plasticizers, such as BPA and diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP).
Although both compounds were examined, the significant difference was found with BPA: the efficiency of BPA elimination was reduced by 11 percent in children with ASD and by 17 percent in those with ADHD, compared to neurotypical children. The researchers suggest that gene mutations in some individuals may impair the body’s ability to clear BPA, leading to extended exposure that could potentially harm neuron development.
This study highlights a combination of genetic and environmental influences on neurodevelopmental disorders like ASD and ADHD. However, the researchers caution that this is only part of the puzzle, as not all children with ASD or ADHD show difficulties in processing BPA. Other factors likely contribute to the development of these conditions.
The research, published in PLOS ONE, adds to a growing body of evidence linking environmental pollutants like plastic additives to neurodevelopmental disorders. Although more work is needed to determine when and how ASD and ADHD develop, the study emphasizes the importance of understanding environmental exposures alongside genetic factors in shaping these disorders.
As the researchers concluded, “How important plasticizer-originated neurodevelopmental disorder is in the overall occurrence of these disorders is not known, but it must account for a significant proportion or it would not have been so easy to detect in a study of moderate size like this one.”
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