Ansa Zakriya

IRI/10h/3
10/21/19
Annotation 10/21/19
Citation:
Quaak, Ilona, et al. “The Dynamics of Autism Spectrum Disorders: How Neurotoxic Compounds
and Neurotransmitters Interact.” ​International Journal of Environmental Research and
Public Health​, vol. 10, no. 8, Aug. 2013, pp. 3384–408, doi:​10.3390/ijerph10083384
Annotation:
This article provides research about the effect of the exposure to organochlorines,

organophosphates, and phthalates on the decrease or increase of GABA(y-minobutyric acid),

Glu(Glutamate), DA(Dopamine), and 5-HT(serotonin) uptake. Autism Spectrum Disorder(ASD)

is characterized by issues in social interaction, communication, and repetitive behavior. Exposure

to neurotoxic chemicals can bind to receptors and cause them to malfunction, for example, the

neurotoxic could be inhibitory, causing the receptor to stop functioning properly. When the

neurons or receptors malfunction, those parts of the brain do not work, for instance, if one of the

receptors is misshapen at the cerebellum that could cause the jerky movement related to ASD.

Elevated levels of 5-HT were revealed after exposure to organochlorine in male rats; genes SLa4

and ASMT, which encode 5-HT transporter and enzyme, have been related to ASD. Increased

levels of serotonin commonly cause anxiety and aggression, which coincide with ASD.

Overall, the article provided the researcher with an increased understanding of medical

vocabulary and abbreviations. Additionally, the article provided specific genes that encode

receptors and transporters; which will help deepen the research. The article increased her

question making the process by presenting information unknown to her. This article specifically

helped in her research because it fits in perfectly with her topic rather than just providing one
part. The source is reliable because it comes from PubMed and is from 2013; which is slightly

older, but still includes relevant information.