Epigenetics strongly influences the risk of developing autism spectrum disease. The role of environmental factors in the development of autism is a crucial area of study. Apart from genetics, the increasing prevalence of autism has generated significant interest in the potential involvement of environmental toxins. This article briefly describes the environmental factors linked to autism.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) i s a group of neurodevelopmental disorders with varying levels of severity in impairment in social communication and interaction and restricted repetitive behaviors, interests, and activities. The number of children with ASD has been rapidly rising in the past decade. Greater ASD awareness and changes in diagnostic criteria may be the contributing factors but explain only a part of the increased prevalence. The rapid increase in ASD prevalence cannot be fully attributed…
