Cohort-guided insights into gene–environment interactions in autism spectrum disorders

• Published in: Nature reviews. Neurology Vol. 19; no. 2; pp. 118 - 125
• Main Authors: Lipkin, W. Ian, Bresnahan, Michaeline, Susser, Ezra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.02.2023; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 692/308/174; 692/499; 692/617/375/366/1373; 692/699/375/366/1373; 692/699/476/1373; Advocacy; Analgesics; Autism; Autism Spectrum Disorder - epidemiology; Autism Spectrum Disorder - genetics; Autistic Disorder; Epidemiology; Estimates; Gene-Environment Interaction; Humans; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Neurology; Pathogenesis; Pediatrics; Perspective; Phenylketonuria; Prospective Studies; Public health; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Surgeons; Vaccines
• ISSN: 1759-4758; 1759-4766; 1759-4766
• DOI: 10.1038/s41582-022-00764-0

Prospective birth cohorts offer unprecedented opportunities to investigate the pathogenesis of complex disorders such as autism, in which gene–environment interactions must be appreciated in a temporal context. This Perspective article considers the history of autism research, including missteps that reflected an incomplete understanding of the epidemiology of autistic spectrum disorders, the effects of advocacy and philanthropy on the trajectory of scientific inquiry, and the current and future roles of prospective birth cohort research in illuminating the pathology of these and other complex disorders wherein exposures during gestation might not manifest until later in life. In this Perspective article, Lipkin et al. consider the contribution of cohort studies to our understanding of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and debate the promise and potential challenges of such studies for dissecting the causes of ASDs and developing interventional strategies.