Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication, and stereotypic behaviors. Many studies support a significant relationship between many different environmental factors in ASD etiology. These factors include increased daily exposure to various toxic metal-based environmental pollutants, which represent a cause for concern in public health. This article reviews the most relevant toxic metals, commonly found, environmental pollutants, i.e., lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), aluminum (Al), and the metalloid arsenic (As). Additionally, it discusses how pollutants can be a possible pathogenetic cause of ASD through various mechanisms including neuroinflammation in different regions of the brain, fundamentally occurring through elevation of the proinflammatory profile of cytokines and aberrant expression of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). Due to the worldwide increase in toxic environmental pollution, studies on the role of pollutants in neurodevelopmental disorders, including direct effects on the developing brain and the subjects’ genetic susceptibility and polymorphism, are of utmost importance to achieve the best therapeutic approach and preventive strategies.

自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）是一种神经发育障碍，其特征在于社交互动，言语和非语言交流以及刻板印象行为方面的缺陷。许多研究支持ASD病因中许多不同环境因素之间的重要关系。这些因素包括每天增加接触各种有毒金属基环境污染物的情况，这引起了公众健康的关注。本文介绍了最相关的有毒金属，通常是环境污染物，例如铅（Pb），汞（Hg），铝（Al）和准金属砷（As）。此外，它还讨论了污染物如何通过各种机制（包括大脑不同区域的神经发炎）成为ASD的可能致病原因，根本上是通过提高细胞因子的促炎作用和核因子κB（NF-κB）的异常表达而发生的。由于全球毒性环境污染的增加，研究污染物在神经发育障碍中的作用，包括对大脑发育的直接影响以及受试者的遗传易感性和多态性，对于实现最佳治疗方法和预防策略至关重要。