Abstract

The continuous rise of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) prevalent in the past few decades is causing an increase in public health and socioeconomic concern. A consensus suggests the involvement of both genetic and environmental factors in the ASD etiopathogenesis. Fluoride (F) is rarely recognized among the environmental risk factors of ASD, since the neurotoxic effects of F are not generally accepted. Our review aims to provide evidence of F neurotoxicity. We assess the risk of chronic F exposure in the ASD etiopathology and investigate the role of metabolic and mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress and inflammation, immunoexcitotoxicity, and decreased melatonin levels. These symptoms have been observed both after chronic F exposure as well as in ASD. Moreover, we show that F in synergistic interactions with aluminum’s free metal cation (Al³⁺) can reinforce the pathological symptoms of ASD. This reinforcement takes place at concentrations several times lower than when acting alone. A high ASD prevalence has been reported from countries with water fluoridation as well as from endemic fluorosis areas. We suggest focusing the ASD prevention on the reduction of the F and Al³⁺ burdens from daily life.

• Related Studies :

  • Effects of chronic fluorosis on the brain.

    Highlights Reviewing the mechanism of brain injury caused by chronic fluorosis is of great significance for protecting residents in fluorosis endemic areas. Abstract This article reviews the effects of chronic fluorosis on the brain and possible mechanisms. We used PubMed, Medline and Cochraine databases to collect data on fluorosis, brain injury,

  • Protective effect of resveratrol against neuronal damage through oxidative stress in cerebral hemisphere of aluminum and fluoride treated rats.

    Aluminum has no defined biological function and it is potentially involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders. Furthermore, the presence of fluoride causes more aluminum to accumulate in the brain, resulting in increased neuronal damage. In recent years, resveratrol through its ameliorative effects was found to be a neuroprotectant. This

  • Gut microbiota perturbations and neurodevelopmental impacts in offspring rats concurrently exposure to inorganic arsenic and fluoride.

    Many “hot spot” geographic areas across the world with drinking water co-contaminated with inorganic arsenic (iAs) and fluoride (F-), two of the most common natural contaminants in drinking water. Both iAs and F- are known neurotoxins and affect neurodevelopment of children. However, very few studies have investigated the neurodevelopmental effects

  • Fluoride enhances the effect of aluminium chloride on interconnections between aggregates of hippocampal neurons

    The role of fluoride in aluminium neurotoxicity was studied using an in vitro system of cultured hippocampal neurons from foetal rats. Sodium fluoride (50 microM) and aluminium chloride (12.5 microM) were administered alone or in a specific combination (50 + 12.5 microM) in a 14-day culture in a chemically defined

  • Interplay of ROS and behavioral pattern in fluoride exposed Drosophila melanogaster.

    Highlights NaF exposure increases mortality and changes male-female ratio in Drosophila. NaF treatment alters the activities endogenous antioxidant enzymes. Chronic sub-lethal NaF exposure causes increased oxidative damage. NaF decreases brain cell viability and increases DNA damage. NaF exposure alters selected behavioral pattern in Drosophila melanogaster. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) is

• Related FAN Content :

  • Factors which increase the risk for skeletal fluorosis

    The risk for developing skeletal fluorosis, and the course the disease will take, is not solely dependent on the dose of fluoride ingested. Indeed, people exposed to similar doses of fluoride may experience markedly different effects. While the wide range in individual response to fluoride is not yet fully understood, the following are some of the factors that are believed to play a role.

  • Dental Fluorosis & Enamel Hypoplasia in Children with Kidney Disease

    Children with kidney disease are known to have high levels of fluoride in their blood and to be at risk for disfiguring tooth defects. Research suggests that high levels of fluoride in blood, which can cause the tooth defect known as dental fluorosis, can contribute to the defects that occur

  • Kidney Patients Are at Increased Risk of Fluoride Poisoning

    It is well established that individuals with kidney disease are susceptible to suffering bone damage and other ill effects from low levels of fluoride exposure. Kidney patients are at elevated risk because when kidneys are damaged they are unable to efficiently excrete fluoride from the body. As a result, kidney patients

  • Fluoride Affects Learning & Memory in Animals

    An association between elevated fluoride exposure and reduced intelligence has now been observed in 65 IQ studies. Although a link between fluoride and intelligence might initially seem surprising or random, it is actually consistent with a large body of animal research. This animal research includes the following 45 studies (out

  • Skeletal Fluorosis & Individual Variability

    One of the common fallacies in the research on skeletal fluorosis is the notion that there is a uniform level of fluoride that is safe for everyone in the population. These "safety thresholds" have been expressed in terms of (a) bone fluoride content, (b) daily dose, (c) water fluoride level, (d) urinary fluoride level, and (e) blood fluoride level. The central fallacy with each of these alleged safety thresholds, however, is that they ignore the wide range of individual susceptibility in how people respond to toxic substances, including fluoride.