Endocrine circuitry in autism spectrum disorders: A systematic review of mechanistic insights and clinical implications.

This large review looked at 183 studies about hormones and autism. It found that children with autism often have problems with several different hormone systems, including stress hormones (cortisol), growth hormones, thyroid hormones, and social bonding hormones (oxytocin). Chemical exposures during pregnancy may also increase autism risk. However, researchers can't yet prove these hormone problems cause autism - they might be a result of it instead.

This systematic review examined 183 human studies published between 1980-2024 to investigate endocrine system dysfunction in autism spectrum disorders. The analysis revealed consistent associations between ASD and multiple hormonal disruptions, including prenatal thyroid imbalances, dysregulated cortisol rhythms, abnormal growth hormone (IGF-1) levels, elevated fetal steroid hormone activity, and impaired oxytocin signaling. The review also identified links between endocrine-disrupting chemicals (phthalates, pesticides) and increased ASD risk in vulnerable populations. While these findings suggest multiple hormonal pathways may influence ASD pathophysiology across developmental stages, the authors emphasize that causality remains unconfirmed.

The research highlights potential opportunities for early detection strategies and novel therapeutic approaches targeting hormonal dysfunction in autism.

Findings suggest potential for developing hormone-based early detection strategies and therapeutic interventions. Comprehensive endocrine evaluation may be valuable in ASD assessment. Environmental exposure screening during pregnancy could inform prevention strategies, though causality requires further investigation.

The review acknowledges that causality between endocrine dysfunction and ASD remains unconfirmed, limiting definitive conclusions about whether hormonal changes cause autism or result from it. Sample sizes and methodological details of included studies were not reported.

The increasing global prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnoses-largely driven by heightened awareness, evolving diagnostic criteria, and improved detection-has intensified efforts to elucidate its complex neurobiological underpinnings, although the true change in occurrence remains uncertain. While much attention has been paid to genetic and neurodevelopmental factors, emerging evidence highlights the crucial role of the endocrine system in modulating social, cognitive, and behavioral outcomes associated with ASD. To systematically review the existing literature on endocrine dysfunction and hormonal signaling pathways implicated in ASD, with the aim of identifying common mechanistic links and evaluating their clinical relevance.A comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar for studies published between 1980 and 2024. The review included 183 human studies evaluating associations between ASD and hormonal alterations, encompassing thyroid function, HPA axis dysregulation, growth hormone signaling, sex hormones, obesity, melatonin, oxytocin, vitamin D status, and exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals.

Alterations in multiple endocrine axes were consistently associated with ASD, including prenatal thyroid imbalances, cortisol rhythm dysregulation, aberrant IGF-1 levels, elevated fetal steroidogenic activity, and impaired oxytocin signaling. Endocrine disruptors such as phthalates and pesticides were also linked to increased ASD risk in susceptible populations. Endocrine dysfunctions are frequently associated with ASD, with multiple hormonal axes potentially influencing its pathophysiology, although causality remains unconfirmed. Understanding hormonal influences across developmental stages could inform early detection strategies and novel therapeutic approaches.