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Increases in prevalence of autism spectrum disorder have directed attention to environmental factors that could contribute to risk. Studies using animal models have documented neurobehavioral abnormalities after pesticide exposure, and organophosphates and organochlorines have been suggested to increase autism risk. In a population-based study, investigators ascertained prenatal and infant exposure to 11 high-use pesticides that have evidence of their potential neurodevelopmental toxicity.
The investigators used detailed California records on pesticide use and registries for births and developmental services to geographically link pesticide use in agricultural counties to nearby autism diagnoses (2961 cases; 35,370 sex- and birth-year-matche…