No link between prenatal mercury exposure and autism

Credit:  hepingting on Flickr

Whether or not mercury exposure causes or contributes to autism has been the subject of much debate among parents and the medical community.  Now, a new study based on 30 years of research, finds prenatal mercury exposure does not cause autism spectrum disorders.

 

A collaboration between the University of Rochester Medical Center, University of Ulster and Seychelles Ministries of Health and Education set up the Seychelles Child Development Study in the 1980s.  The study was set up to examine the “impact of fish consumption and mercury exposure on childhood development”.  The Seychelles was an ideal location for the study because of the high rate of fish consumption amongst its population.

Researchers looked at a group of over 1700 people.  The prenatal mercury levels of mothers were determined from hair samples.  Parents and teachers completed questionnaires to find out if the children exhibited any behaviour associated with autism spectrum disorder.  Researchers then analysed the data from the hair samples and questionnaires.

According to the study’s principal investigator, Philip Davidson, PhD: "This study shows no consistent association in children with mothers with mercury levels that were six to ten times higher than those found in the U.S. and Europe.  This is a sentinel population and if it does not exist here than it probably does not exist."

The study is published in the journal Epidemiology.

More information and the source of the above information and quotes are available on Medical Express.

©Mary M Conneely T/A Advocacy in Action