Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China; Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangzhou 510515, China.
Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2021 Sep;128:534-548. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.06.043. Epub 2021 Jun 30.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by behavioral deficits including impairments in social communication, social interaction, and repetitive behaviors. Because the etiology of ASD is still largely unknown, there is no cure for ASD thus far. Although it has been established that genetic components play a vital role in ASD development, the influence of epigenetic regulation induced by environmental factors could also contribute to ASD susceptibility. Accumulated evidence has suggested that exposure to atmospheric particulate matter (PM) in polluted air could affect neurodevelopment, thus possibly leading to ASD. Particles with a size of 2.5 μm (PM) or less have been shown to have negative effects on human health, and could be linked to ASD symptoms in children. This review summarizes evidence from clinical and animal studies to demonstrate the possible linkage between PM exposure and the incidence of ASD in children. An attempt was made to explore the possible mechanisms of this linkage, including changes of gene expression, oxidative stress and neuroinflammation induced by PM exposure.
自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）是一种神经发育障碍，其行为缺陷包括社交沟通、社交互动和重复行为方面的损害。由于 ASD 的病因在很大程度上仍然未知，因此到目前为止还没有治愈 ASD 的方法。尽管已经确定遗传成分在 ASD 发展中起着至关重要的作用，但环境因素引起的表观遗传调控的影响也可能导致 ASD 的易感性。越来越多的证据表明，在污染空气中暴露于大气颗粒物（PM）可能会影响神经发育，从而可能导致 ASD。粒径为 2.5 μm 或更小的颗粒物已被证明对人类健康有负面影响，并可能与儿童的 ASD 症状有关。本综述总结了临床和动物研究的证据，以证明 PM 暴露与儿童 ASD 发生率之间可能存在联系。本文试图探讨这种联系的可能机制，包括 PM 暴露引起的基因表达变化、氧化应激和神经炎症。
