Maternal Exposure to Lithium in Drinking Water and Autism Spectrum Disorder Risk in Danish Offspring
A nationwide Danish case-control study examined whether prenatal maternal exposure to naturally occurring lithium in drinking water is associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis in offspring, using geocoded residential addresses and water quality measurements. The research leverages biological plausibility (lithium's role in neurodevelopmental signaling pathways) and population-based registry data to evaluate this environmental exposure hypothesis.