4 ms·
Paternal (not maternal) age is highly correlated with ne novo mutations, a portion of which are associated with autism, depending on the location of the mutatio
by SubiculumCode 6y ago
Paternal (not maternal) age is highly correlated with ne novo mutations, a portion of which are associated with autism, depending on the location of the mutation. Perhaps this is less well known among news reporters, but among autism researchers, paternal age is often considered as an important factor, and is well accepted in that respect.
Edit: I am a post-doc at the autism institute at which this research was conducted. While I am not associated with this research, Judy does solid, impactful research, and I know beyond a doubt that she is aware of the association between autism and de novo mutations in older fathers.
- alisonkisk 6y agoAnd "Advanced Maternal Age" is extremely well known among mothers (in broad strokes if not technical details), who have generational experience with the issue. Of course gynecologists are also well aware. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/getting-pregnant/in-depth/pregnancy/art-20045756 https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/getting-pregnan... It's a little bit disconcerting to see men pontificating about things they discovered that women already know quite well.
- SubiculumCode 6y agoI don't understand the intention behind your final sentence, and to whom it referred. If directed at my post, all I can say is that in respect to autism, it is paternal age which is the most critical, per the science, which, by the way, isn't something I just learned, its related to my career.
- throw998 6y agodisappears if you control for the fact that older men have children with older women
- danielheath 6y agoThank goodness there’s a throwaway here to make unsourced claims to argue with a postdoc in the field. Otherwise we might not get both sides of the story.
- SubiculumCode 6y agoI was a bit lazy about sources wasn't I also :) Here is a nice Spectrum article that covers it. https://www.spectrumnews.org/news/link-parental-age-autism-explained/ https://www.spectrumnews.org/news/link-parental-age-autism-e...