Abstract To investigate the effects of environmental exposure on neurodevelopment in children, particularly maternal prenatal heavy metal exposure, the review summarizes recent domestic and international research on the associations between prenatal mercury exposure, combined multiple metal exposure, and offspring neurodevelopment, focuses on analyzing the effects of mercury on offspring cognitive behavior and neurodevelopmental disorders, as well as the underlying mechanisms including genetic susceptibility, DNA methylation and oxidative damage, to provide a scientific basis for the early prevention of childhood neurodevelopmental disorders.