ABSTRACT
ASDs are a group of neural development disorders characterized by impairments in social interaction and communication, and by the presence of restricted and repetitive behaviours [1,2]. Clarification of the pathogenesis and effective treatment of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) is one of the challenges today. ASDs continue to increase in prevalence up to 1 in 88 children [1,2,3] and are known to be highly heritable (~90%), and some related genes have been reported [4,5,6,7,8]. However, the underlying genetic determinants are still not clarified [1,9], and the interaction of heritable factors with uncertified lifestyle and environmental factors seem play a significant role in the pathogenesis. For example, organic mercury had been claimed one of environmental candidates causing autistic disorders [10,11,12], but its relationship remains to be established.
