Childbirth when father is old, his generation is prone to autism

Older fathers who give birth to children, the risk of autism in the next generation (grandchildren) may be higher than those of young children.

This is the conclusion of a group of international scientists in the study published March 20 in the American Journal of Psychiatry (Psychiatry).

British, Swedish and Australian scientists have analyzed data of nearly 37,000 adults in Sweden, including 6,000 people with autism, from the 1932s, including the birth ages of both parties. grandparents, grandparents and diagnoses of mental illnesses, if any.

The results showed that fathers over 50 years old who give birth to a child with autism will be 1.8 times higher than their fathers aged 20-24 if the second generation is a girl, if the second generation is a boy, the rate is 1.67 times higher.

Exhibition of works of autistic children

The results are surprising because we have only known that older fathers often produce children prone to depression and autism. But now there is scientific evidence that autism can be passed down through generations.

Explaining this genetic mechanism, scientists believe that mutations occur in sperm cells over time, and each time these cells separate, new gene mutations may appear in the genome. of child.

Therefore, if these gene mutations do not cause autism in the second generation, they may accumulate and manifest in the next generation. However, the rate is still relatively low to recommend those with advanced age fathers not to give birth.

On the same day, the magazine published another study that concluded that mothers who had been raped when they were young gave birth to children with autism.

Scientists from Harvard Medical University investigated the records of more than 52,000 mothers, including 451 mothers with children with autism. The results showed that children of mothers who were physically and mentally abused were 61% more likely to have autism than those of non-abused mothers.

Autism is a developmental disorder of the nervous system that manifests a mental disorder. Children with autism who lack or have developmental delays in their ability to interact in society, cannot use language in social activities, do not understand symbolic images, and do not know what to expect. statue.

This disease usually manifests itself before 3 years of age. In the United States, for every 88 children, one child has autism, while in Europe this rate is 1/100.