| Neurodevelopment and Endocrine Disruption Theo Colborn Department of Zoology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA, and The Endocrine Disruption Exchange, Paonia, Colorado, USA Abstract
In this article I explore the possibility that contaminants contribute to the increasing prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism, and associated neurodevelopmental and behavioral problems in developed countries. I discuss the exquisite sensitivity of the embryo and fetus to thyroid disturbance and provide evidence of human in utero exposure to contaminants that can interfere with the thyroid. Because it may never be possible to link prenatal exposure to a specific chemical with neurodevelopmental damage in humans, I also present alternate models where associations have been made between exposure to specific chemicals or chemical classes and developmental difficulties in laboratory animals, wildlife, and humans. Key words: ADHD, autism, behavior, endocrine disruptor, environmental contaminants, neurologic effects, prenatal exposure, thyroid. Environ Health Perspect 112:944-949 (2004) . doi:10.1289/ehp.6601 available via http://dx.doi.org/ [Online 17 November 2003]
Address correspondence to T. Colborn, P.O. Box 1253, Paonia, CO 81428 USA. Telephone/Fax: (970) 527-6548. E-mail: colborn@tds.net I thank the Joyce Foundation, the Women's Donor Network, and the Linda Zidell Foundation for supporting this article. In addition, I thank K. Howdeshell and M. Smolen and two unidentified individuals for reviewing this article. The author declares no competing financial interests. Received 23 July 2003 ; accepted 17 November 2003.
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