University of Texas researchers say they've identified a possible link between autism and mercury found in water and air.

They studied 1 200 school districts in Texas and discovered that the districts with the highest levels of mercury in the environment also had the highest rates of autism diagnoses and special education students, the Los Angeles Times reported.

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The findings do not prove that mercury causes autism, said study lead author Raymond Palmer of the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. But the study results offer a provocative clue that warrants further investigation, he added.

Palmer and his colleagues found that for every 1 000 pounds (460 kg) of mercury released into the environment, there was a 61 percent increase in autism rates and a 43 percent increase in special education services.

The study will be published in the journal Health & Place. – (HealthDayNews)
 

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