Work

Association Between Prenatal Air Pollution Exposure and Autism in Children: EPINED Study

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Purpose Air pollutants are emerging as recognised contributing factors in the aetiology of neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly increasing the risk of autism in children. This study explored the association between prenatal exposure to air pollutants and the likelihood of developing autism, considering both autistic symptoms and diagnosed cases in a school-based population from Tarragona (Spain), a province with extensive petrochemical activity. Methods In the first phase, parents and teachers of 3,727 children (aged 4 and 11 years) completed screening questionnaires (CAST and EDUTEA, respectively). In the second phase, 623 children were individually assessed, and diagnoses were based on DSM-5 criteria (58 children with autism and 51 with subthreshold autistic traits). Results We performed multiple regressions, adjusting for individual, social, and family covariates. Significant associations were found between exposure to PM coarse (β-0.16; CI: 0.03–0.29), NO 2 (β-0.15; CI: 0.02–0.28), and NO x (β-0.18; CI: 0.03–0.34) and autism symptom scores reported by the teachers. Furthermore, a significant association suggests higher exposure to PM 2.5 (OR-1.66; CI: 1.03–2.65) and PM 10 (OR-1.46; CI: 1.01–2.12) during the second trimester of pregnancy can lead to higher chances of developing autism + subthreshold autistic traits in children. Conclusions These findings emphasise the potential impact of specific air pollutants, particularly during critical periods of pregnancy and foetal development, highlighting the need to explore further the role of air pollutants associated with the increased likelihood of autism in children.

Source: Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders

DOI: 10.1007/s10803-025-07131-0

Authors: Sharanpreet Kaur, Paula Morales-Hidalgo, Mònica Guxens, Núria Voltas, Sami Petricola, Josefa Canals-Sans