Invited Perspective: Air Pollution and Autism Spectrum Disorder: Are We There Yet?

[...]criteria pollutants may be only a proxy for the actual agents that promote pathological brain processes. [...]the developmental window for the involvement of the pollutant in the pathological processes is not known. [...]mutual adjustment for exposures during several time points would strengthen the causal interpretation.31 Finally, animal studies provide relevant findings for possible mechanisms,32 but they can bridge only part of the gap because ASD is not a condition seen in animals. [...]despite many positive associations, the relationship with ASD is still not considered in policy discussions of air pollution.