title: Environmental pollution and risk of psychotic disorders: A review of the science to date.
abstract: Environmental pollution is a global problem with diverse and substantial public health implications. Although many environmental (i.e., non-genetic) risk factors for schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders have been identified, there has been comparatively little research on pollution as a possible risk factor. This is despite the fact that gene-by-environment interactions and epigenetic mechanisms are now recognized as likely facets of the etiology of schizophrenia, and the fact that pollution could potentially mediate the association between urban birth/upbringing and elevated risk. We conducted a review of the literature to date in order to summarize and synthesize work in this area. We identified 13 research reports and 16 review articles. Based on the extant knowledge in this area and what is known about the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, it is feasible that exposure to xenobiotic heavy metals such as lead and cadmium, constituents of air pollution such as particulate matter and nitrogen and sulfur oxides, organic solvents, and other constituents of environmental pollution could be component causes. Further research-from the cellular to epidemiological levels-is clearly needed. If causation is proven, enhancements of policy intended to reduce human exposure to environmental pollution could reduce the burden of schizophrenia and possibly other mental illnesses.
authors.affiliation: USC Psichiatria 1, Department of Mental Health, ASST Papa Giovanni XXIII, Piazza OMS 1, 24127 Bergamo, Italy. Electronic address: luigi.attademo@hotmail.it.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Attademo
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Erasme Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Route de Lennik 808, 1070 Anderlecht, Belgium. Electronic address: francesco.bernardini@erasme.ulb.ac.be.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bernardini
authors.affiliation: Centro di Selezione e Reclutamento Nazionale dell'Esercito, Italian Ministry of Defence, Viale Mezzetti 2, 06034 Foligno, PG, Italy. Electronic address: garinella.raffaele@libero.it.
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Garinella
authors.affiliation: Lenox Hill Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine, Hempstead, New York, USA. Electronic address: mcompton@northwell.edu.
authors.forename: Michael T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Compton
mesh_terms: D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Environmental risk; Pollutants; Pollution; Psychosis; Schizophrenia