Air Pollution and Autism Spectrum Disorder: Unveiling Multipollutant Risks and Sociodemographic Influences in California.

Journal: Environmental health perspectives
Published Date: Jun 12, 2025

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition with increasing prevalence worldwide. Air pollution may be a major contributor to the rise in ASD cases. This study investigated how the risk of ASD associated with prenatal and early postnatal exposure to specific air pollutants is modified by key sociodemographic factors, exploring vulnerable exposure periods.

Authors

  • Karl O'Sharkey
    Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
  • Sanjali Mitra
    Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
  • Ting Chow
    Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
  • Laura Thompson
    Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA.
  • Jason Su
    From Whiterabbit.ai, 3930 Freedom Cir, Santa Clara, CA 95054 (S.P., T.T., B.M., Y.N.T.V., T.M., R.M.H., M.S., N.G., N.Z.D., J.S.); Onsite Women's Health, Westfield, Mass (S.H.); SSM Health, St Louis, Mo (C.M.A.); and Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Mo (R.L.W.).
  • Myles Cockburn
    Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90032, USA.
  • Beate Ritz
    Departments of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, Fileding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

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