Heavy Metal in Children’s Tooth Enamel: Related to Autism and Disruptive Behaviors?

Abstract

To examine possible links between neurotoxicant exposure and neuropsychological disorders and child behavior, relative concentrations of lead, mercury, and manganese were examined in prenatal and postnatal enamel regions of deciduous teeth from children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs), high levels of disruptive behavior (HDB), and typically developing (TD) children. Using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, we found no significant differences in levels of these neurotoxicants for children with ASDs compared with TD children, but there was marginal significance indicating that children with ASDs have lower manganese levels. No significant differences emerged between children with HDB and TD children. The current findings challenge the notion that perinatal heavy metal exposure is a major contributor to the development of ASDs and HDB.

Teeth as Indicators of Environmental Pollution with Lead

“…The laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) technique is particularly useful for in-situ analyses of trace elements for applications requiring understanding of the spatial variation of elemental content within the sample [14,25,[45][46][47][48][49].…”

The Role of Heavy Metal Pollution in Neurobehavioral Disorders: a Focus on Autism

“…No differences were reported in mercury levels between the two groups of children (Abdullah et al 2012). Previously, measurements in whole baby teeth had shown two-to threefold higher level of mercury in autistic children with respect to the control group ).…”

“…Both reports did not find any significant difference in levels of Pb between children with an ASD and typically developing children Abdullah et al 2012). …”

“…There is compelling evidence that heavy metals adversely affect neurodevelopment and increase risk of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) (DeSoto and Hitlan 2010; Abdullah et al 2012). Many trace elements occurring in the body at less than 0.01 % of body weight are essential for physiological processes in the central nervous systems; however, when present at increased levels, they may produce neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson's disease, Down syndrome, and Alzheimer's disease (Fido and Al-Saad 2005;Lakshmi Priya and Geetha 2011).…”

“…In contrast to hair, teeth provide historical information of metal exposure. Enamel of primary teeth, in particular, reflects a record of prenatal and early postnatal exposure since it begins in the utero and is completely formed between 3 months and 1 year after birth (Abdullah et al 2012).…”