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).
