4 ms·

Older fathers correlate with an increased risk of autism. https://www.autismspeaks.org/science/science-news/study-ties-dad’s-age-risk-autism-other-mental-disor

by mikek 9y ago

Older fathers correlate with an increased risk of autism. https://www.autismspeaks.org/science/science-news/study-ties-dad’s-age-risk-autism-other-mental-disorders-kids https://www.autismspeaks.org/science/science-news/study-ties...

drzaiusapelord 9y ago
And mothers too. http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/06/10/413205921/more-evidence-that-parents-ages-could-influence-autism-risk http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/06/10/41320592... Worse, double the risk of schizophrenia for children who have dads at 40. Triple at 50. http://www.schizophrenia.com/prevention/older.htm http://www.schizophrenia.com/prevention/older.htm Other mood and psychological disorders are linked to father's age as well. Turns out sperm and eggs are delicate and after 40 years of aging, simply can't do their jobs well. Evolution's mechanisms aren't kind to older parents.
- FeteCommuniste 9y ago
  Just to clarify, the sperm cells of a forty year old man (unlike the egg cells of a forty year old woman) are not themselves forty years old.
  - drzaiusapelord 9y ago
    Right but the body that creates them has damaged 40-year old DNA and the DNA that ends up in the sperm comes from that damaged source.
nickthemagicman 9y ago
You can't just post that without posting actual data. http://jamanetwork.com/data/Journals/PEDS/15536/poa60107t2.png http://jamanetwork.com/data/Journals/PEDS/15536/poa60107t2.p... It increases from a .6% chance to a 1.7% chance. Considering most parents only have one to three kids that's really good chances.
tshadley 9y ago
The study seems to hint at the idea that autism spectrum at the very mild side might be "geeky": >She added that some of the genes that contribute to geekiness and academic success might also lead to a higher risk of autism when a child inherits more of them.
zumu 9y ago
Does anyone know if this compounds generationally? Like do the odds go up for the son of an old father, who is the son of an old father?

by mikek 9y ago

drzaiusapelord 9y ago

And mothers too. http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/06/10/413205921/more-evidence-that-parents-ages-could-influence-autism-risk http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/06/10/41320592... Worse, double the risk of schizophrenia for children who have dads at 40. Triple at 50. http://www.schizophrenia.com/prevention/older.htm http://www.schizophrenia.com/prevention/older.htm Other mood and psychological disorders are linked to father's age as well. Turns out sperm and eggs are delicate and after 40 years of aging, simply can't do their jobs well. Evolution's mechanisms aren't kind to older parents.

FeteCommuniste 9y ago
Just to clarify, the sperm cells of a forty year old man (unlike the egg cells of a forty year old woman) are not themselves forty years old.
- drzaiusapelord 9y ago
  Right but the body that creates them has damaged 40-year old DNA and the DNA that ends up in the sperm comes from that damaged source.

nickthemagicman 9y ago

You can't just post that without posting actual data. http://jamanetwork.com/data/Journals/PEDS/15536/poa60107t2.png http://jamanetwork.com/data/Journals/PEDS/15536/poa60107t2.p... It increases from a .6% chance to a 1.7% chance. Considering most parents only have one to three kids that's really good chances.

tshadley 9y ago

The study seems to hint at the idea that autism spectrum at the very mild side might be "geeky": >She added that some of the genes that contribute to geekiness and academic success might also lead to a higher risk of autism when a child inherits more of them.

zumu 9y ago

Does anyone know if this compounds generationally? Like do the odds go up for the son of an old father, who is the son of an old father?