2023-04-27 13:51:19
A Spanish study linked exposure to pyrethroids to an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder. Explanations.
Should we be wary of pyrethroids? If these insecticides are widely used, they could represent a real health hazard. According to a Spanish study conducted by the University of Toledo, early exposure to pyrethroids can increase the risk of autism and other developmental disorders. These findings were published in the scientific journal PNAS Nexus.
This study was conducted on mice. “If you have someone coming in to spray your house, that’s probably what they’re spraying. It’s used in landscaping, it’s what they spray on the streets against mosquitoes. It’s everywhere. Our study, however, adds to the evidence that these chemicals may not be as safe for children and pregnant women as we once thought.“, warns Dr. James Burkett, assistant professor of neuroscience at the College of Medicine and Life Sciences at UToledo, in a statement.
Increased hyperactivity
This new research builds on several previous studies that analyzed specific behavioral changes attributable to low exposure to pyrethroids. Dr. James Burkett examined the offspring of female mice exposed to low doses of the pyrethroid insecticide deltamethrin before, during, and immediately after pregnancy.
Results ? This study highlighted increased hyperactivity and repetitive behaviors in these mice. They were also more likely to fail basic learning tests than controls. The young mice also experienced disturbances in their dopaminergic system.
A “piece of the puzzle”
“These are all similar to symptoms that human patients with neurodevelopmental disorders might have. We’re not saying these mice are autistic or have ADHD. That’s not the goal here. What we’re saying is that something in their brains has been changed by this exposure and it’s leading to the same kinds of behaviors that we see in autistic children.“, details Dr. Burkett. Before completing: “This research is one piece of the puzzle. This is not definitive proof that the pesticide is dangerous or directly causes autism in humans. This may, however, suggest that the safety level of the pesticide needs to be reviewed for pregnant women and children.“.
Finally, as the study release reminds us, pyrethroids are not the only class of pesticides linked to autism, and scientists agree that the development of the disease requires more than one trigger. .
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