Autism in genetically vulnerable people could be triggered by very low levels of chemicals found in the water supply, researchers have discovered.
Experts from the University of Idaho in the US were ‘astonished’ to find that just traces of common medication such as anti-depressants can bring on the disorder.
They made the discovery by observing the changes in the genetic pathways of fish swimming in water contaminated with psychoactive drugs.
Lead scientist Dr Michael Thomas said: ‘While others have envisioned a causal role for psychotropic drugs in idiopathic autism, we were astonished to find evidence that this might occur at very low dosages, such as those found in aquatic systems.’
The fish were exposed to two kinds of anti-depressants – Prozac and venlafaxine – and a drug used to control seizures, called carbamazepine.
Concentrations were comparable with the highest estimated environmental levels.
They found patterns of gene activity in the fathead minnows that mimicked those seen in humans susceptible to the developmental disorder.
