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Monday, June 15, 2015

Autism and the age of parents

Behavioral Pediatrics: A multi-national, population-based, cohort study published in Molecular Psychiatry presents more evidence for correlation between risk of children developing autism and parental age. The group found that both increased maternal and pateral age confer an independent increased risk of ASD in their children. Increase age gap between parents also appeared to be associated with an increase risk. The authors comment that the mechanisms for this increased risk remain unclear (especially in mother's; some previous studies suggest increased de novo mutations in sperm as a mechanism in older fathers).