Background

Our group has shown that significant correlations exist between rates of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and total aluminum adjuvants given to children through vaccines in several Western countries. These correlations satisfied eight out of nine Hill criteria for causality. Experimental studies have demonstrated a range of behavioural abnormalities in young mice after postnatal exposure to aluminium. To build on our previous work, the current study will investigate the effect of aluminium adjuvants on social behaviour in mice. Anomalies in social interaction are a key characteristic of those with ASD.

Methods

Neonatal CD-1 mice pups were injected with either a total of 550 μg of aluminum hydroxide gel (experimental group) or saline (control) spread out during the first two weeks of postnatal life. The mice were then subjected to behavioural tests for social interest and social novelty at postnatal week 8, 17 and 29. p-Values were calculated using the Mann-Whitney and Kruskal Wallis tests.

Results

Aluminum injected mice showed diminished social interest compared to controls at week 8 (p = 0.016) and 17 (p = 0.012). They also demonstrated abnormal social novelty from controls at week 8 (p = 0.002) and week 29 (p = 0.042).

Conclusion

This is the first experimental study, to our knowledge, to demonstrate that aluminum adjuvants can impair social behaviour if applied in the early period of postnatal development. The study, however, is insufficient to make any assertive claims about the link between aluminium adjuvants and ASD in humans.

中文翻译：

---

暴露于铝佐剂是否与小鼠的社交障碍有关？初步研究

背景

我们的小组表明，在几个西方国家中，自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）的发生率与通过疫苗给予儿童的铝佐剂总量之间存在显着相关性。这些相关性满足了希尔因果关系的九个标准中的八个。实验研究表明，出生后暴露于铝后，幼鼠的一系列行为异常。以我们以前的工作为基础，当前的研究将调查铝佐剂对小鼠社交行为的影响。社会交往异常是自闭症患者的主要特征。

方法

新生CD-1小鼠幼崽在出生后前两周内注射了总计550μg氢氧化铝凝胶（实验组）或生理盐水（对照组）。然后在出生后第8、17和29周对小鼠进行社交兴趣和社交新颖性的行为测试。使用Mann-Whitney和Kruskal Wallis测试计算p值。

结果

与对照组相比，注射铝的小鼠在第8周（p = 0.016）和第17周（p = 0.012）的社交兴趣降低。他们还在第8周（p = 0.002）和第29周（p = 0.042）的对照组中显示出异常的社交新颖性。

结论

据我们所知，这是第一项实验研究，旨在证明铝佐剂如果在产后发育的早期应用会损害社会行为。然而，该研究不足以对铝佐剂与人类ASD之间的联系做出任何有力的断言。