ISU study discovers possible cause of autism

Idaho State University researchers have made a discovery into a possible cause for autism.

The ISU research group studied fish exposed to water with traces of certain medications, and found those fish had genetic changes similar to autism in humans.

“There are potential implications for autism that make it of interest,” ISU Associate Professor of Biology Michael Thomas said.

The psychoactive drugs the study looked into included two often prescribed anti-depressants, fluoxetine and venlafaxine, more commonly known as prozac and effexor.

Thomas said traces of these drugs can make it into the water we drink.

“It’s not removed by sewer treatment plants. It ends up in aquatic systems. And eventually it ends up in drinking water in measurable concentrations,” Thomas said.

The researchers behind this study are the first to say people shouldn’t get carried away with possible implications.

“It’s a little too soon to say this probably means anything related to autism, except that there’s an interesting connection there,” Thomas said.