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Giannubilo SR, Marzioni D, Tossetta G, Montironi R, Meccariello ML, Ciavattini A. The "Bad Father": Paternal Role in Biology of Pregnancy and in Birth Outcome. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:165. [PMID: 38534435 DOI: 10.3390/biology13030165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Pregnancy is generally studied as a biological interaction between a mother and a fetus; however, the father, with his characteristics, lifestyle, genetics, and living environment, is by no means unrelated to the outcome of pregnancy. The half of the fetal genetic heritage of paternal derivation can be decisive in cases of inherited chromosomal disorders, and can be the result of de novo genetic alterations. In addition to the strictly pathological aspects, paternal genetics may transmit thrombophilic traits that affect the implantation and vascular construction of the feto-placental unit, lead to placenta-mediated diseases such as pre-eclampsia and fetal growth retardation, and contribute to the multifactorial genesis of preterm delivery. Biological aspects of immunological tolerance to paternal antigens also appear to be crucial for these pathologies. Finally, this review describes the biological findings by which the environment, exposure to pathogens, lifestyle, and nutritional style of the father affect fetal pathophysiological and epigenetic definition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Raffaele Giannubilo
- Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Università Politecnica Delle Marche, 60123 Ancona, Italy
| | - Daniela Marzioni
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Università Politecnica Delle Marche, 60126 Ancona, Italy
| | - Giovanni Tossetta
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Università Politecnica Delle Marche, 60126 Ancona, Italy
| | - Ramona Montironi
- Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Università Politecnica Delle Marche, 60123 Ancona, Italy
| | - Maria Liberata Meccariello
- Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Università Politecnica Delle Marche, 60123 Ancona, Italy
| | - Andrea Ciavattini
- Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Università Politecnica Delle Marche, 60123 Ancona, Italy
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Wang SH, Lin MC, Wu CS, Chen PC, Thompson WK, Fan CC. Familial factors rather than paternal age contribute to the aetiology of epilepsy. Int J Epidemiol 2024; 53:dyad191. [PMID: 38199793 DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyad191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Whether paternal age associated with offspring's epilepsy risk is a cause of de novo mutation as men age, or just an association due to confounding factors, is still unclear. METHODS We performed a population-based, multi-generation and sibling comparison study in Taiwan, which included 2 751 232 singletons born in 2001-17 who were followed until 2020. Of these, 819 371/826 087 with information on paternal/maternal grandparents were selected for multi-generation analyses and 1 748 382 with sibling(s) were selected for sibling comparison. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS In the total cohort, there was an increased risk of epilepsy in individuals with advanced paternal age, e.g. the HR for paternal age ≥50 was1.36 (95% CI: 1.15-1.61) compared with paternal age 25-29, and fathers older than mothers, e.g. the HR for parental age difference ≥15 years was 1.29 (95% CI: 1.16-1.43). When accounting for parental age difference, the association between paternal age and epilepsy in offspring was attenuated (HR for paternal age ≥50 was 1.11, 95% CI: 0.93-1.34). Multi-generation analyses did not support the association of advanced grand-paternal age at childbirth of the parent with offspring's risk of epilepsy. Sibling comparison analyses did not support the association of older paternal age with increased risk of epilepsy (HR was 0.96 for per year increase in paternal age, 95% CI: 0.96-0.97). CONCLUSIONS These results do not support the hypothesis that advanced paternal age is associated with epilepsy in offspring. Instead, familial factors may explain the observed paternal age association with the offspring's risk of epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi-Heng Wang
- National Center for Geriatrics and Welfare Research, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Mei-Chen Lin
- National Center for Geriatrics and Welfare Research, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Shin Wu
- National Center for Geriatrics and Welfare Research, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Taiwan
- Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital, Yunlin Branch, Douliu, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Chun Chen
- National Center for Geriatrics and Welfare Research, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Taiwan
| | - Wesley K Thompson
- Center for Population Neuroscience and Genetics, Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, OK, USA
| | - Chun-Chieh Fan
- Center for Population Neuroscience and Genetics, Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, OK, USA
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
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Xiao J, Jain A, Bellia G, Nyhan K, Liew Z. A scoping review of multigenerational impacts of grandparental exposures on mental health in grandchildren. Curr Environ Health Rep 2023; 10:369-382. [PMID: 38008881 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-023-00413-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/28/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The multigenerational effects of grandparental exposures on their grandchildren's mental health and neurodevelopment are gaining research attention. We conducted a scoping review to summarize the current epidemiological studies investigating pregnancy-related and environmental factors that affected grandparental pregnancies and mental health outcomes in their grandchildren. We also identified methodological challenges that affect these multigenerational health studies and discuss opportunities for future research. RECENT FINDINGS We performed a literature search using PubMed and Embase and included 18 articles for this review. The most investigated grandparental pregnancy-related factors were the grandparental age of pregnancy (N = 6), smoking during pregnancy (N = 4), and medication intake (N = 3). The most frequently examined grandchild outcomes were autism spectrum disorder (N = 6) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (N = 4). Among these studies, grandparental smoking and the use of diethylstilbestrol were more consistently reported to be associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, while the findings for grandparental age vary across the maternal or paternal line. Grandmaternal weight, adverse delivery outcomes, and other spatial-temporal markers of physical and social environmental stressors require further scrutiny. The current body of literature has suggested that mental and neurodevelopmental disorders may be outcomes of unfavorable exposures originating from the grandparental generation during their pregnancies. To advance the field, we recommend research efforts into setting up multigenerational studies with prospectively collected data that span through at least three generations, incorporating spatial, environmental, and biological markers for exposure assessment, expanding the outcome phenotypes evaluated, and developing a causal analytical framework including mediation analyses specific for multigenerational research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyuan Xiao
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, USA
- Yale Center for Perinatal, Pediatric, and Environmental Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, USA
| | - Anushka Jain
- Department of Social Behavioral Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, USA
| | - Giselle Bellia
- Yale Center for Perinatal, Pediatric, and Environmental Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, USA
| | - Kate Nyhan
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, USA
| | - Zeyan Liew
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, USA.
- Yale Center for Perinatal, Pediatric, and Environmental Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, USA.
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Neeser NB, Martani A, De Clercq E, De Geyter C, Vulliemoz N, Elger BS, Wangmo T. Building a family at advanced parental age: a systematic review on the risks and opportunities for parents and their offspring. Hum Reprod Open 2023; 2023:hoad042. [PMID: 38045093 PMCID: PMC10692762 DOI: 10.1093/hropen/hoad042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION What is the existing empirical literature on the psychosocial health and wellbeing of the parents and offspring born at an advanced parental age (APA), defined as 40 years onwards? SUMMARY ANSWER Although the studies show discrepancies in defining who is an APA parent and an imbalance in the empirical evidence for offspring, mothers, and fathers, there is a drive towards finding psychotic disorders and (neuro-)developmental disorders among the offspring; overall, the observed advantages and disadvantages are difficult to compare. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY In many societies, children are born to parents at advanced ages and there is rising attention in the literature towards the consequences of this trend. STUDY DESIGN SIZE DURATION The systematic search was conducted in six electronic databases (PubMed including Medline, Embase, Scopus, PsycInfo, CINAHL, and SocINDEX) and was limited to papers published between 2000 and 2021 and to English-language articles. Search terms used across all six electronic databases were: ('advanced parental age' OR 'advanced maternal age' OR 'advanced paternal age' OR 'advanced reproductive age' OR 'late parent*' OR 'late motherhood' OR 'late fatherhood') AND ('IVF' OR 'in vitro fertilization' OR 'in-vitro-fertilization' OR 'fertilization in vitro' OR 'ICSI' OR 'intracytoplasmic sperm injection' OR 'reproductive techn*' OR 'assisted reproductive technolog*' OR 'assisted reproduction' OR 'assisted conception' OR 'reproduction' OR 'conception' OR 'birth*' OR 'pregnan*') AND ('wellbeing' OR 'well-being' OR 'psycho-social' OR 'social' OR 'ethical' OR 'right to reproduce' OR 'justice' OR 'family functioning' OR 'parental competenc*' OR 'ageism' OR 'reproductive autonomy' OR 'outcome' OR 'risk*' OR 'benefit*'). PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS SETTING METHODS The included papers were empirical studies in English published between 2000 and 2021, where the study either examined the wellbeing and psychosocial health of parents and/or their children, or focused on parental competences of APA parents or on the functioning of families with APA parents. A quality assessment of the identified studies was performed with the QATSDD tool. Additionally, 20% of studies were double-checked at the data extraction and quality assessment stage to avoid bias. The variables sought were: the geographical location, the year of publication, the methodological approach, the definitions of APA used, what study group was at the centre of the research, what research topic was studied, and what advantages and disadvantages of APA were found. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE A total number of 5403 articles were identified, leading to 2543 articles being included for title and abstract screening after removal of duplicates. This resulted in 98 articles included for a full-text reading by four researchers. Ultimately, 69 studies were included in the final sample. The key results concerned four aspects relevant to the research goals. (i) The studies showed discrepancies in defining who is an APA parent. (ii) There was an imbalance in the empirical evidence produced for different participant groups (mothers, fathers, and offspring), with offspring being the most studied study subjects. (iii) The research topics studied underlined the increased risks of neuro-developmental and psychotic disorders among offspring. (iv) The observed advantages and disadvantages were varied and could not be compared, especially for the offspring of APA parents. LIMITATIONS REASONS FOR CAUTION Only English-language studies, published between 2000 and 2021, found in the above-mentioned databases were considered for this review. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS More research is necessary to understand the risks and benefits of building a family at an APA for the offspring when they reach adulthood. Furthermore, studies that explore the perspective of older fathers and older parents from non-Western societies would be highly informative. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS The writing of this manuscript was permitted by financial support provided by the Swiss National Science Foundation (Weave/Lead Agency funding program, grant number 10001AL_197415/1, project title 'Family Building at Advanced Parental Age: An Interdisciplinary Approach'). The funder had no role in the drafting of this manuscript and the views expressed therein are those of the authors. The authors have no conflicts of interest. REGISTRATION NUMBER This systematic review is registered in Prospero: CRD42022304564.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie B Neeser
- Institute for Biomedical Ethics, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Martani
- Institute for Biomedical Ethics, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Eva De Clercq
- Institute for Biomedical Ethics, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christian De Geyter
- Reproductive Medicine and Gynaecological Endocrinology (RME), University Hospital, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Vulliemoz
- Centre de Procréation Médicalement Assistée (CPMA), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Bernice S Elger
- Institute for Biomedical Ethics, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Tenzin Wangmo
- Institute for Biomedical Ethics, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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Shi Q, Qi K. Developmental origins of health and disease: Impact of paternal nutrition and lifestyle. Pediatr Investig 2023; 7:111-131. [PMID: 37324600 PMCID: PMC10262906 DOI: 10.1002/ped4.12367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Most epidemiological and experimental studies have focused on maternal influences on offspring's health. The impact of maternal undernutrition, overnutrition, hypoxia, and stress is linked to adverse offspring outcomes across a range of systems including cardiometabolic, respiratory, endocrine, and reproduction among others. During the past decade, it has become evident that paternal environmental factors are also linked to the development of diseases in offspring. In this article, we aim to outline the current understanding of the impact of male health and environmental exposure on offspring development, health, and disease and explore the mechanisms underlying the paternal programming of offspring health. The available evidence suggests that poor paternal pre-conceptional nutrition and lifestyle, and advanced age can increase the risk of negative outcomes in offspring, via both direct (genetic/epigenetic) and indirect (maternal uterine environment) effects. Beginning at preconception, and during utero and the early life after birth, cells acquire an epigenetic memory of the early exposure which can be influential across the entire lifespan and program a child's health. Potentially not only mothers but also fathers should be advised that maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle is important to improve offspring health as well as the parental health status. However, the evidence is mostly based on animal studies, and well-designed human studies are urgently needed to verify findings from animal data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaoyu Shi
- Laboratory of Nutrition and Development, Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Ministry of Education, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's HospitalCapital Medical University, National Center for Children's HealthBeijingChina
| | - Kemin Qi
- Laboratory of Nutrition and Development, Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Ministry of Education, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's HospitalCapital Medical University, National Center for Children's HealthBeijingChina
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Kaltsas A, Moustakli E, Zikopoulos A, Georgiou I, Dimitriadis F, Symeonidis EN, Markou E, Michaelidis TM, Tien DMB, Giannakis I, Ioannidou EM, Papatsoris A, Tsounapi P, Takenaka A, Sofikitis N, Zachariou A. Impact of Advanced Paternal Age on Fertility and Risks of Genetic Disorders in Offspring. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:486. [PMID: 36833413 PMCID: PMC9957550 DOI: 10.3390/genes14020486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The average age of fathers at first pregnancy has risen significantly over the last decade owing to various variables, including a longer life expectancy, more access to contraception, later marriage, and other factors. As has been proven in several studies, women over 35 years of age have an increased risk of infertility, pregnancy problems, spontaneous abortion, congenital malformations, and postnatal issues. There are varying opinions on whether a father's age affects the quality of his sperm or his ability to father a child. First, there is no single accepted definition of old age in a father. Second, much research has reported contradictory findings in the literature, particularly concerning the most frequently examined criteria. Increasing evidence suggests that the father's age contributes to his offspring's higher vulnerability to inheritable diseases. Our comprehensive literature evaluation shows a direct correlation between paternal age and decreased sperm quality and testicular function. Genetic abnormalities, such as DNA mutations and chromosomal aneuploidies, and epigenetic modifications, such as the silencing of essential genes, have all been linked to the father's advancing years. Paternal age has been shown to affect reproductive and fertility outcomes, such as the success rate of in vitro fertilisation (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and premature birth rate. Several diseases, including autism, schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, and paediatric leukaemia, have been linked to the father's advanced years. Therefore, informing infertile couples of the alarming correlations between older fathers and a rise in their offspring's diseases is crucial, so that they can be effectively guided through their reproductive years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aris Kaltsas
- Laboratory of Spermatology, Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Efthalia Moustakli
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics in Clinical Practice, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Athanasios Zikopoulos
- Laboratory of Spermatology, Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Ioannis Georgiou
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics in Clinical Practice, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Fotios Dimitriadis
- Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Evangelos N. Symeonidis
- Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Eleftheria Markou
- Department of Microbiology, University Hospital of Ioannina, 45500 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Theologos M. Michaelidis
- Department of Biological Applications and Technologies, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
- Biomedical Research Institute, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, 45500 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Dung Mai Ba Tien
- Department of Andrology, Binh Dan Hospital, Ho chi Minh City 70000, Vietnam
| | - Ioannis Giannakis
- Laboratory of Spermatology, Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | | | - Athanasios Papatsoris
- 2nd Department of Urology, School of Medicine, Sismanoglio Hospital, National and Kapodistrian Univesity of Athens, 15126 Athens, Greece
| | - Panagiota Tsounapi
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago 683-8503, Japan
| | - Atsushi Takenaka
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago 683-8503, Japan
| | - Nikolaos Sofikitis
- Laboratory of Spermatology, Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Athanasios Zachariou
- Laboratory of Spermatology, Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
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Wood KA, Goriely A. The impact of paternal age on new mutations and disease in the next generation. Fertil Steril 2022; 118:1001-1012. [PMID: 36351856 PMCID: PMC10909733 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2022.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Advanced paternal age is associated with an increased risk of fathering children with genetic disorders and other adverse reproductive consequences. However, the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain largely unexplored. In this review, we focus on the impact of paternal age on de novo mutations that are an important contributor to genetic disease and can be studied both indirectly through large-scale sequencing studies and directly in the tissue in which they predominantly arise-the aging testis. We discuss the recent data that have helped establish the origins and frequency of de novo mutations, and highlight experimental evidence about the close link between new mutations, parental age, and genetic disease. We then focus on a small group of rare genetic conditions, the so-called "paternal age effect" disorders that show a strong association between paternal age and disease prevalence, and discuss the underlying mechanism ("selfish selection") and implications of this process in more detail. More broadly, understanding the causes and consequences of paternal age on genetic risk has important implications both for individual couples and for public health advice given that the average age of fatherhood is steadily increasing in many developed nations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine A Wood
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Anne Goriely
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, United Kingdom.
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Wang SH, Wu CS, Hsu LY, Lin MC, Chen PC, Thompson WK, Fan CC. Paternal age and 13 psychiatric disorders in the offspring: a population-based cohort study of 7 million children in Taiwan. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:5244-5254. [PMID: 36042285 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01753-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Although paternal age has been linked to certain psychiatric disorders, the nature of any causal relationship remains elusive. Here, we aimed to comprehensively assess the magnitude of a wide range of offspring's psychiatric risk conferred by paternal age, leveraging a pedigree inferred from covered-insurance relationship (accuracy >98%) in Taiwan's single-payer compulsory insurance program. We also examined whether there is an independent role of paternal age and explored the potential effect of parental age difference. A total cohort of 7,264,788 individuals born between 1980 and 2018 were included; 5,572,232 with sibling(s) were selected for sibling-comparison analyses and 1,368,942 and 1,044,420 children with information of paternal-grandparents and maternal-grandparents, respectively, were selected for multi-generation analyses. Using inpatient/outpatient claims data (1997-2018), we identified schizophrenia, autism, bipolar disorder (BPD), attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), major depressive disorder (MDD), eating disorder (ED), substance use disorder (SUD), mental retardation (MR), tic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety, and somatoform disorder. We identified suicides using death certificates. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the paternal/maternal/grand-paternal age association with psychiatric risk in the offspring. The total cohort and sibling-comparison cohort resulted in similar estimates. Paternal age had a U-shaped relationship with offspring's MDD, ED, SUD, and anxiety. A very young maternal age (<20 years) was associated with markedly higher risk in offspring's SUD, MR, and suicide. Older paternal age (>25 years) was linearly associated with offspring's schizophrenia, autism, BPD, ADHD, MDD, ED, SUD, MR, OCD, anxiety, and suicide. Older grand-paternal age was linearly associated with offspring's schizophrenia, autism, ADHD, and MR. Dissimilar parental age was positively associated with offspring's ADHD, MDD, SUD, MR, anxiety, and suicide, and negatively associated with offspring's OCD. This comprehensive assessment provides solid evidence for the independent role of paternal age in psychiatric risk in the offspring and clarifies the significance of both early parenthood and delayed paternity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi-Heng Wang
- Department of Occupational Safety and Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
- Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
- Interdisciplinary Freshmen Program of Public Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
| | - Chi-Shin Wu
- National Center for Geriatrics and Welfare Research, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan
- Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital, Yunlin branch, Douliu, Taiwan
| | - Le-Yin Hsu
- Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Graduate Program of Data Science, National Taiwan University and Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Mei-Chen Lin
- Department of Occupational Safety and Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Interdisciplinary Freshmen Program of Public Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Chun Chen
- Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Wesley K Thompson
- Center for Population Neuroscience and Genetics, Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, OK, USA
| | - Chun-Chieh Fan
- Center for Population Neuroscience and Genetics, Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, OK, USA
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
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Zweifel JE, Woodward JT. The risky business of advanced paternal age: neurodevelopmental and psychosocial implications for children of older fathers. Fertil Steril 2022; 118:1013-1021. [PMID: 36347660 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2022.10.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The last several decades are notable for an increase in the percentage of births attributable to men in their 40s and 50s. There is general recognition of offspring health risks related to advanced maternal age, however, fewer patients and providers are informed about the impacts of advanced paternal age (APA). This review examined the literature investigating the association between APA and offspring outcomes, specifically, neurodevelopmental, psychiatric, academic, and behavioral impairment, the impact of paternal health decline and death, and the influence of age on parenting behaviors. This analysis revealed that children, and even grandchildren, of older fathers face significantly increased incidence rates of psychiatric disease and behavioral impairment. The data do not show evidence of superior parenting behaviors among men with APA. Finally, children of men with APA are significantly more likely to experience early bereavement, which is associated with psychological and developmental consequences. An understanding of the degree to which APA can negatively impact the offspring is imperative for patient counseling and development of practice guidelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julianne E Zweifel
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
| | - Julia T Woodward
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke Fertility Center, Duke University Health System, Durham, North Carolina, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke Fertility Center, Duke University Health System, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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10
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Milne BJ, D'Souza S, Andersen SH, Richmond-Rakerd LS. Use of Population-Level Administrative Data in Developmental Science. ANNUAL REVIEW OF DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2022; 4:447-468. [PMID: 37284522 PMCID: PMC10241456 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-devpsych-120920-023709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Population-level administrative data-data on individuals' interactions with administrative systems (e.g., health, criminal justice, and education)-have substantially advanced our understanding of life-course development. In this review, we focus on five areas where research using these data has made significant contributions to developmental science: (a) understanding small or difficult-to-study populations, (b) evaluating intergenerational and family influences, (c) enabling estimation of causal effects through natural experiments and regional comparisons, (d) identifying individuals at risk for negative developmental outcomes, and (e) assessing neighborhood and environmental influences. Further advances will be made by linking prospective surveys to administrative data to expand the range of developmental questions that can be tested; supporting efforts to establish new linked administrative data resources, including in developing countries; and conducting cross-national comparisons to test findings' generalizability. New administrative data initiatives should involve consultation with population subgroups including vulnerable groups, efforts to obtain social license, and strong ethical oversight and governance arrangements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barry J Milne
- School of Social Sciences and Centre of Methods and Policy Application in the Social Sciences (COMPASS), University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Stephanie D'Souza
- School of Social Sciences and Centre of Methods and Policy Application in the Social Sciences (COMPASS), University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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Fountoulakis KN, Panagiotidis P, Tegos T, Kimiskidis V, Nimatoudis I. Paternal age and specific neurological soft signs as reliable and valid neurobiological markers for the diagnosis of patients with schizophrenia. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2022; 272:1087-1096. [PMID: 34842982 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-021-01357-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Advanced parental age at delivery and neurological soft signs (NSS) constitute risk factors for schizophrenia. The aim of the current study was to develop a neurobiological diagnostic index by combining them, and without the contribution of clinical symptomatology. The study sample included 133 patients suffering from schizophrenia according to DSM-IV-TR (77 males and 56 females; aged 33.55 ± 11.22 years old) and 122 normal controls (66 males and 56 females; aged 32.89 ± 9.91 years old). The assessment included the Neurological Evaluation Scale (NES), and a number of scales assessing the clinical symptoms and adverse effects. The statistical analysis included exploratory t-test, Pearson Correlation coefficient (R) and Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA). Exploratory t-tests and Pearson's R suggested that sex, parental age and NSS constitute independent components. On the basis of DFA results, the Psychotic Neurological Index was developed. At the cut-off PNI score of 8.5, sensitivity was equal to 94.74 and specificity to 93.44. The current is probably the first study to report on an easily obtainable diagnostic neurobiological marker with identifiable properties which is absolutely independent from the clinical manifestations and could serve in distinguishing between patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls with high efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos N Fountoulakis
- 3rd Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
| | - Panagiotis Panagiotidis
- 3rd Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Thomas Tegos
- 1st Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Vasileios Kimiskidis
- 1st Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Ioannis Nimatoudis
- 3rd Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
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12
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Khachadourian V, Zaks N, Lin E, Reichenberg A, Janecka M. Reprint of: Advanced paternal age and risk of schizophrenia in offspring - Review of epidemiological findings and potential mechanisms. Schizophr Res 2022; 247:84-91. [PMID: 36085274 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2022.08.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2021] [Revised: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
A large number of studies have examined the association between advanced paternal age (APA) and risk of schizophrenia in offspring. Here we present an overview of epidemiological studies on this subject published since 2000, and systematically summarize their methodologies and results. Next, we discuss evidence to elucidate the potential mechanisms contributing to the association between APA and offspring schizophrenia, considering paternal psychiatric morbidity and genetic liability, maternal factors, and findings from family design studies. We propose that multiple mechanisms, including causal and non-causal pathways, contribute to the observed relationship between APA and schizophrenia in offspring, and conclude by highlighting the need for multi-disciplinary studies in disentangling these complex, non-mutually exclusive mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vahe Khachadourian
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America; Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America; Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America.
| | - Nina Zaks
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Emma Lin
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America; Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Abraham Reichenberg
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America; Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America; Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America; Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Magdalena Janecka
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America; Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America; Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America; Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
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13
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A multifactorial model for the etiology of neuropsychiatric disorders: the role of advanced paternal age. Pediatr Res 2022; 91:757-770. [PMID: 33674740 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-021-01435-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Mental or neuropsychiatric disorders are widespread within our societies affecting one in every four people in the world. Very often the onset of a mental disorder (MD) occurs in early childhood and substantially reduces the quality of later life. Although the global burden of MDs is rising, mental health care is still suboptimal, partly due to insufficient understanding of the processes of disease development. New insights are needed to respond to this worldwide health problem. Next to the growing burden of MDs, there is a tendency to postpone pregnancy for various economic and practical reasons. In this review, we describe the current knowledge on the potential effect from advanced paternal age (APA) on development of autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and Tourette syndrome. Although literature did not clearly define an age cut-off for APA, we here present a comprehensive multifactorial model for the development of MDs, including the role of aging, de novo mutations, epigenetic mechanisms, psychosocial environment, and selection into late fatherhood. Our model is part of the Paternal Origins of Health and Disease paradigm and may serve as a foundation for future epidemiological research designs. This blueprint will increase the understanding of the etiology of MDs and can be used as a practical guide for clinicians favoring early detection and developing a tailored treatment plan. Ultimately, this will help health policy practitioners to prevent the development of MDs and to inform health-care workers and the community about disease determinants. Better knowledge of the proportion of all risk factors, their interactions, and their role in the development of MDs will lead to an optimization of mental health care and management. IMPACT: We design a model of causation for MDs, integrating male aging, (epi)genetics, and environmental influences. It adds new insights into the current knowledge about associations between APA and MDs. In clinical practice, this comprehensive model may be helpful in early diagnosis and in treatment adopting a personal approach. It may help in identifying the proximate cause on an individual level or in a specific subpopulation. Besides the opportunity to measure the attributed proportions of risk factors, this model may be used as a blueprint to design prevention strategies for public health purposes.
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Zacchini F, Sampino S, Zietek M, Chan A. Delayed parenthood and its influence on offspring health: What have we learned from the mouse model. Biol Reprod 2021; 106:58-65. [PMID: 34725675 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioab202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Delayed parenthood is constantly increasing worldwide due to various socio-economic factors. In the last decade, a growing number of epidemiological studies have suggested a link between advanced parental age and an increased risk of diseases in the offspring. Also, poor reproductive outcome has been described in pregnancies conceived by aged parents. Similarly, animal studies showed that aging negatively affects gametes, early embryonic development, pregnancy progression and the postnatal phenotype of resulting offspring. However, how and to what extent parental age is a risk factor for the health of future generations is still subject to debate. Notwithstanding the limitation of an animal model, the mouse model represents a useful tool to understand not only the influence of parental age on offspring phenotype but also the biological mechanisms underlying the poor reproductive outcome and the occurrence of diseases in the descendants. The present review aims at i) providing an overview of the current knowledge from mouse model about the risks associated with conception at advanced age (e.g. neurodevelopmental and metabolic disorders), ii) highlighting the candidate biological mechanisms underlying this phenomenon, and iii) discussing on how murine-derived data can be relevant to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Zacchini
- Percuros BV, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Wolfson Center for Age Related Diseases, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Silvestre Sampino
- Department of Experimental Embryology, IGAB PAS, Jastrzebiec, Poland
| | - Marta Zietek
- Department of Experimental Embryology, IGAB PAS, Jastrzebiec, Poland
| | - Alan Chan
- Percuros BV, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Khachadourian V, Zaks N, Lin E, Reichenberg A, Janecka M. Advanced paternal age and risk of schizophrenia in offspring - Review of epidemiological findings and potential mechanisms. Schizophr Res 2021; 233:72-79. [PMID: 34242951 PMCID: PMC8380724 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2021.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2021] [Revised: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
A large number of studies have examined the association between advanced paternal age (APA) and risk of schizophrenia in offspring. Here we present an overview of epidemiological studies on this subject published since 2000, and systematically summarize their methodologies and results. Next, we discuss evidence to elucidate the potential mechanisms contributing to the association between APA and offspring schizophrenia, considering paternal psychiatric morbidity and genetic liability, maternal factors, and findings from family design studies. We propose that multiple mechanisms, including causal and non-causal pathways, contribute to the observed relationship between APA and schizophrenia in offspring, and conclude by highlighting the need for multi-disciplinary studies in disentangling these complex, non-mutually exclusive mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vahe Khachadourian
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America; Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America; Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America.
| | - Nina Zaks
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Emma Lin
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America; Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Abraham Reichenberg
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America; Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America; Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America; Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Magdalena Janecka
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America; Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America; Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America; Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
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16
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St Clair D, Lang B. Schizophrenia: a classic battle ground of nature versus nurture debate. Sci Bull (Beijing) 2021; 66:1037-1046. [PMID: 36654248 DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2021.01.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Much has been learned about the etiology and pathogenesis of schizophrenia since the term was first used by Eugene Bleuler over a century ago to describe one of the most important forms of major mental illness to affect mankind. Both nature and nurture feature prominently in our understanding of the genesis of the overall risk of developing schizophrenia. We now have a firm grasp of the broad structure of the genetic architecture and several key environmental risk factors have been identified and delineated. However, much of the heritability of schizophrenia remains unexplained and the reported environmental risk factors do not explain all the variances not attributable to genetic risk factors. The biggest problem at present is that our understanding of the causal mechanisms involved is still in its infancy. In this review, we describe the extent and limits of our knowledge of the specific genetic/constitutional and non-genetic/environmental factors that contribute to the overall risk of schizophrenia. We suggest novel methods may be required to understand the almost certainly immensely complex multi-level causal mechanisms that contribute to the generation of the schizophrenia phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- David St Clair
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Changsha 410011, China; Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK; Bio-X Life Science Research Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China.
| | - Bing Lang
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Changsha 410011, China; Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK.
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17
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Association between paternal age and risk of schizophrenia: a nationwide population-based study. J Assist Reprod Genet 2020; 38:85-93. [PMID: 32862335 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-020-01936-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To study the association between paternal age and schizophrenia in offspring. METHODS This report describes a nationwide population-based cohort study from 1997 to 2013. Data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database were utilized to answer the research question. A total of 17,649 offspring with schizophrenia were selected from 11 million offspring in the general population. Additionally, we established the offspring without schizophrenia as the comparison group by matching the study cohort by age, gender in a 1:4 ratio (n = 70,596). RESULTS The median age at first presentation with schizophrenia was 20 years (interquartile range (IQR), 17 to 24). Comparison of the schizophrenia and non-schizophrenia groups indicated that father's age at birth (30.0 (IQR), 27 to 33 vs. 29.0 (IQR), 26 to 32 years), mother's age at birth (26.0 (IQR), 24 to 29 vs. 26.0 (IQR), 23 to 29 years), paternal schizophrenia (2.6% vs. 0.6%), and maternal schizophrenia (4.4% vs. 0.7%) were all significantly greater in the schizophrenia group. In addition, each 5-year increase in father's age increased the odds of being diagnosed with schizophrenia (model 1: aOR = 1.22; 95% CI 1.20, 1.24; model 2: aOR = 1.20; 95% CI 1.18, 1.23). Subgroup analysis showed that each 5-year increase in father's age increased the odds of being diagnosed with schizophrenia in male and female offspring, as well as in offspring of mothers and fathers with or without schizophrenia (aOR = 1.20 to 2.20, all p values < 0.01). CONCLUSION This study indicated that advanced paternal age increased the risk of schizophrenia in offspring. Offspring born to fathers older by 5-year increments were at heightened risk of schizophrenia.
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Gao Y, Yu Y, Xiao J, Luo J, Zhang Y, Tian Y, Zhang J, Olsen J, Li J, Liew Z. Association of Grandparental and Parental Age at Childbirth With Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children. JAMA Netw Open 2020; 3:e202868. [PMID: 32293683 PMCID: PMC7160691 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.2868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Advanced parental age has been associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in children. However, little is known about the association between grandparental age at the time of birth of the parent and the risk of ASD in the grandchildren. OBJECTIVE To estimate the associations between parental and grandparental age and ASD risk in children. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This population-based, multigenerational cohort study used data from Danish national health registries. A parental age cohort was constructed to evaluate the association between parental age and ASD in 1 476 783 singleton children born from 1990 to 2013, and a multigenerational cohort was also constructed including 362 438 fathers and 458 234 mothers born from 1973 to 1990 for whom information on grandparental age was available. Data analyses were conducted from November 1, 2018, through February 7, 2020. EXPOSURES Parental age at childbirth and grandparental age at the time of the birth of the parent. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Diagnoses of ASD in children were obtained from the Danish Psychiatric Central Register (1994-2017). Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the associations between parental or grandparental age and ASD in children. RESULTS Of the 1 476 783 children born from 1990 to 2013, 758 066 (51.3%) were male, and 27 616 (1.9%) had ASD (20 467 [74.1%] were male). Advanced paternal or maternal age over 30 years was monotonically associated with increased ASD risk, with odds ratios (ORs) of 1.56 (95% CI, 1.45-1.68) for maternal age 40 years and older and 1.57 (95% CI, 1.39-1.78) for paternal age 50 years and older, compared with parents aged 25 to 29 years. In the multigenerational cohort, 9364 grandchildren (1.7%) had ASD. This study found U-shaped associations, in that ASD risk was higher among grandchildren of younger (≤19 years) maternal grandmothers (OR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.52-1.85), younger maternal grandfathers (OR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.26-1.78), and younger paternal grandmothers (OR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.04-1.34), and older (≥40 years) paternal grandmothers (OR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.03-1.90) compared with the grandchildren of grandparents who were aged 25 to 29 years at the time of giving birth to the parents. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE These findings corroborate previous studies suggesting that advanced parental age is independently associated with increased ASD risk in children. This study also found that children with young maternal grandparents and children with young and old paternal grandparents had elevated ASD risk. Possible transmission of ASD risk across generations should be considered in etiological research on ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Gao
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yongfu Yu
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jingyuan Xiao
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut
- Yale Center for Perinatal, Pediatric, and Environmental Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Jiajun Luo
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut
- Yale Center for Perinatal, Pediatric, and Environmental Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Yawei Zhang
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut
- Yale Center for Perinatal, Pediatric, and Environmental Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Ying Tian
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- The Ministry of Education–Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children’s Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun Zhang
- The Ministry of Education–Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children’s Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jørn Olsen
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jiong Li
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Zeyan Liew
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut
- Yale Center for Perinatal, Pediatric, and Environmental Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut
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Wang SH, Hsiao PC, Yeh LL, Liu CM, Liu CC, Hwang TJ, Hsieh MH, Chien YL, Lin YT, Huang YT, Chen CY, Chandler SD, Faraone SV, Neale B, Glatt SJ, Tsuang MT, Hwu HG, Chen WJ. Advanced Paternal Age and Early Onset of Schizophrenia in Sporadic Cases: Not Confounded by Parental Polygenic Risk for Schizophrenia. Biol Psychiatry 2019; 86:56-64. [PMID: 30926130 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.01.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2018] [Revised: 01/24/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Whether paternal age effect on schizophrenia is a causation or just an association due to confounding by selection into late parenthood is still debated. We investigated the association between paternal age and early onset of schizophrenia in offspring, controlling for both paternal and maternal predisposition to schizophrenia as empirically estimated using polygenic risk score (PRS) derived from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium. METHODS Among 2923 sporadic schizophrenia cases selected from the Schizophrenia Trio Genomic Research in Taiwan project, 1649 had parents' genotyping data. The relationships of paternal schizophrenia PRS to paternal age at first birth (AFB) and of maternal schizophrenia PRS to maternal AFB were examined. A logistic regression model of patients' early onset of schizophrenia (≤18 years old) on paternal age was conducted. RESULTS Advanced paternal age over 20 years exhibited a trend of an increasing proportion of early onset of schizophrenia (odds ratio per 10-year increase in paternal age = 1.28, p = .007) after adjusting for maternal age, sex, and age. Older paternal AFB also exhibited an increasing trend of paternal schizophrenia PRS. Additionally, a U-shaped relationship between maternal AFB and maternal schizophrenia PRS was observed. After adjusting for both paternal and maternal schizophrenia PRS, the association of paternal age with patients' early onset of schizophrenia remained (odds ratio = 1.29, p = .04). CONCLUSIONS The association between paternal age and early onset of schizophrenia was not confounded by parental PRS for schizophrenia, which partially captures parental genetic vulnerability to schizophrenia. Our findings support an independent role of paternal age per se in increased risk of early onset of schizophrenia in offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi-Heng Wang
- Departments of Public Health and Occupational Safety and Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Po-Chang Hsiao
- Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ling-Ling Yeh
- Department of Healthcare Administration, College of Medical and Health Science, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Min Liu
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chen-Chung Liu
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tzung-Jeng Hwang
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ming H Hsieh
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ling Chien
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ting Lin
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Tsung Huang
- Institute of Statistical Science, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Yen Chen
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Sharon D Chandler
- Center for Behavioral Genomics, Department of Psychiatry and Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Stephen V Faraone
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Neuroscience and Physiology, Medical Genetics Research Center, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York
| | - Benjamin Neale
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Stephen J Glatt
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Neuroscience and Physiology, Medical Genetics Research Center, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York
| | - Ming T Tsuang
- Center for Behavioral Genomics, Department of Psychiatry and Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Hai-Gwo Hwu
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wei J Chen
- Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, Taipei, Taiwan; Centers of Genomic and Precision Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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20
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Janecka M, Hansen SN, Modabbernia A, Browne HA, Buxbaum JD, Schendel DE, Reichenberg A, Parner ET, Grice DE. Parental Age and Differential Estimates of Risk for Neuropsychiatric Disorders: Findings From the Danish Birth Cohort. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2019; 58:618-627. [PMID: 30825496 PMCID: PMC10790681 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2018.09.447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2018] [Revised: 08/27/2018] [Accepted: 09/14/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Parental age at birth has been shown to affect the rates of a range of neurodevelopmental disorders, but the understanding of the mechanisms through which it mediates different outcomes is still lacking. A population-based cohort was used to assess differential effects of parental age on estimates of risk across pediatric-onset neuropsychiatric disorders: autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and Tourette's disorder/chronic tic disorder (TD/CT). METHOD The study cohort included all singleton births in Denmark from 1980 through 2007 with full information on parental ages (N = 1,490,745) and was followed through December 31, 2013. Cases of ASD, ADHD, OCD, and TD/CT were identified in the Danish Psychiatric Central Register and the National Patient Register. Associations with parental age were modeled using a stratified Cox regression, allowing for changes in baseline diagnostic rates across time. RESULTS Younger parental age was significantly associated with increased estimates of risk for ADHD and TD/CT, whereas older parental age was associated with ASD and OCD. Except for OCD, no evidence for differential effects of parental ages on male versus female offspring was observed. CONCLUSION This study provides novel evidence for the association between age at parenthood and TD/CT and OCD and for the first time shows in a population-based sample that parental age confers differential risk rates for pediatric-onset psychiatric disorders. These results are consistent with a model of shared and unshared risk architecture for pediatric-onset neuropsychiatric conditions, highlighting unique contributions of maternal and paternal ages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Janecka
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY; Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment
| | | | | | - Heidi A Browne
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY; Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Division of Tics, OCD, and Related Disorders
| | - Joseph D Buxbaum
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY; Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment; Friedman Brain Institute and Mindich Child Health and Development Institute
| | - Diana E Schendel
- Section for Epidemiology, the National Centre for Register-Based Research, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Aarhus
| | - Abraham Reichenberg
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY; Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment; Friedman Brain Institute and Mindich Child Health and Development Institute; Institute for Translational Epidemiology
| | | | - Dorothy E Grice
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY; Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Division of Tics, OCD, and Related Disorders; Friedman Brain Institute and Mindich Child Health and Development Institute.
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Fountoulakis KN, Gonda X, Siamouli M, Panagiotidis P, Moutou K, Nimatoudis I, Kasper S. A case-control study of paternal and maternal age as risk factors in mood disorders. Int J Psychiatry Clin Pract 2019; 23:90-98. [PMID: 30880518 DOI: 10.1080/13651501.2018.1519079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Objective: Advanced parental age might constitute a risk factor for various disorders. We tested whether this concerns also mood disorder patients. Methods: The study included 314 subjects (42 bipolar-BD patients; 21 manics and 21 depressives, 68 unipolar-UD, and 204 normal controls-NC). Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) and the calculation of the Relative Risk (RR) and the Odds Ratio (OR) were used for the analysis. Results: Paternal age differed between NC and UD patients (29.42 ± 6.07 vs. 32.12 ± 5.54; p = .01) and manics (29.42 ± 6.07 vs. 35.00 ± 5.75; p = .001) and maternal age between NC and manics (25.46 ± 4.52 vs. 31.43 ± 4.75; p < .001) and manic and UD (31.43 ± 4.75 vs. 26.75 ± 6.03; p = .002). The RR and OR values suggested that advanced parental age constitutes a risk factor for the development of mood disorders. Conclusions: In a non-dose dependent and gender-independent, advanced parental age constitutes a risk factor for the development of BD with index episode of mania (probably manic predominant polarity); only advanced paternal age constitutes a risk factor for the development of UD and BD with index episode of depression (probably depressive predominant polarity). This is the first study suggesting differential effect of advanced parental age depending on predominant polarity of BD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos N Fountoulakis
- a 3rd Department of Psychiatry , School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki , Thessaloniki , Greece
| | - Xenia Gonda
- b Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , Semmelweis University , Budapest , Hungary
| | - Melina Siamouli
- a 3rd Department of Psychiatry , School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki , Thessaloniki , Greece
| | - Panagiotis Panagiotidis
- a 3rd Department of Psychiatry , School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki , Thessaloniki , Greece
| | | | - Ioannis Nimatoudis
- a 3rd Department of Psychiatry , School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki , Thessaloniki , Greece
| | - Siegfried Kasper
- d Universitätsklinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Medizinische Universität Wien , Vienna , Austria
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22
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Zouraraki C, Karagiannopoulou L, Karamaouna P, Pallis EG, Giakoumaki SG. Schizotypal traits, neurocognition, and paternal age in unaffected first degree relatives of patients with familial or sporadic schizophrenia. Psychiatry Res 2019; 273:422-429. [PMID: 30684787 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2018.12.142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2018] [Revised: 12/27/2018] [Accepted: 12/28/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Studies comparing cognitive processes between familial and sporadic schizophrenia have yielded inconsistent findings. In this study we examined differences in neurocognition and schizotypal traits in unaffected relatives of schizophrenia-spectrum patients with either the familial (multiplex) or the sporadic (simplex) subtype of the disorder, taking paternal age at birth into consideration. Simplex (n = 65; SR), multiplex (n = 35; MR) relatives and controls (n = 114) were compared on several cognitive functions and schizotypal traits; between-group differences were evaluated with and without including paternal age in the analyses. SR and MR had higher negative and paranoid traits compared with controls, but paternal age abolished the differences between the SR and control groups. When taking into account schizotypal traits and participants' age, controls outperformed MR in strategy formation and set-shifting and SR in psychomotor speed, set-shifting and executive working memory. After including paternal age in the analyses, controls outperformed MR in strategy formation, working memory and executive working memory and both groups in psychomotor speed and set-shifting. These findings suggest that multiplex relatives present with a "riskier" personality and cognitive profile when considering the effects of paternal age. Nevertheless, simplex relatives are impaired in fundamental cognitive processes, thus highlighting the detrimental effects of paternal age on neurocognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chrysoula Zouraraki
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Crete, Rethymno 74100, Crete, Greece.
| | - Leda Karagiannopoulou
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Crete, Rethymno 74100, Crete, Greece
| | - Penny Karamaouna
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Crete, Rethymno 74100, Crete, Greece
| | - Eleftherios G Pallis
- Department of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens 11527, Greece
| | - Stella G Giakoumaki
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Crete, Rethymno 74100, Crete, Greece
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23
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Oldereid NB, Wennerholm UB, Pinborg A, Loft A, Laivuori H, Petzold M, Romundstad LB, Söderström-Anttila V, Bergh C. The effect of paternal factors on perinatal and paediatric outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Hum Reprod Update 2018; 24:320-389. [PMID: 29471389 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmy005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2017] [Accepted: 01/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal factors, including increasing childbearing age and various life-style factors, are associated with poorer short- and long-term outcomes for children, whereas knowledge of paternal parameters is limited. Recently, increasing paternal age has been associated with adverse obstetric outcomes, birth defects, autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia in children. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE The aim of this systematic review is to describe the influence of paternal factors on adverse short- and long-term child outcomes. SEARCH METHODS PubMed, Embase and Cochrane databases up to January 2017 were searched. Paternal factors examined included paternal age and life-style factors such as body mass index (BMI), adiposity and cigarette smoking. The outcome variables assessed were short-term outcomes such as preterm birth, low birth weight, small for gestational age (SGA), stillbirth, birth defects and chromosomal anomalies. Long-term outcome variables included mortality, cancers, psychiatric diseases/disorders and metabolic diseases. The systematic review follows PRISMA guidelines. Relevant meta-analyses were performed. OUTCOMES The search included 14 371 articles out of which 238 met the inclusion criteria, and 81 were included in quantitative synthesis (meta-analyses). Paternal age and paternal life-style factors have an association with adverse outcome in offspring. This is particularly evident for psychiatric disorders such as autism, autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia, but an association is also found with stillbirth, any birth defects, orofacial clefts and trisomy 21. Paternal height, but not BMI, is associated with birth weight in offspring while paternal BMI is associated with BMI, weight and/or body fat in childhood. Paternal smoking is found to be associated with an increase in SGA, birth defects such as congenital heart defects, and orofacial clefts, cancers, brain tumours and acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. These associations are significant although moderate in size, with most pooled estimates between 1.05 and 1.5, and none exceeding 2.0. WIDER IMPLICATIONS Although the increased risks of adverse outcome in offspring associated with paternal factors and identified in this report represent serious health effects, the magnitude of these effects seems modest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan B Oldereid
- Livio IVF-klinikken Oslo, Sørkedalsveien 10A, 0369 Oslo, Norway
| | - Ulla-Britt Wennerholm
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Sahlgrenska University Hospital East, SE 416 85 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Anja Pinborg
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hvidovre Hospital, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anne Loft
- Fertility Clinic, Section 4071, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Hannele Laivuori
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tampere University Hospital, Teiskontie 35, FI-33521 Tampere, Finland.,Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Tampere, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland.,Medical and Clinical Genetics, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Haartmaninkatu 8, FI-00290 Helsinki, Finland.,Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Tukhomankatu 8, FI-00290 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Max Petzold
- Swedish National Data Service and Health Metrics Unit, University of Gothenburg, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Liv Bente Romundstad
- Spiren Fertility Clinic, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim NO-7010, Norway.,Department of Public Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | | | - Christina Bergh
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Reproductive Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, SE-413 45 Gothenburg, Sweden
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24
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Epigenetic Erosion in Adult Stem Cells: Drivers and Passengers of Aging. Cells 2018; 7:cells7120237. [PMID: 30501028 PMCID: PMC6316114 DOI: 10.3390/cells7120237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Revised: 11/22/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In complex organisms, stem cells are key for tissue maintenance and regeneration. Adult stem cells replenish continuously dividing tissues of the epithelial and connective types, whereas in non-growing muscle and nervous tissues, they are mainly activated upon injury or stress. In addition to replacing deteriorated cells, adult stem cells have to prevent their exhaustion by self-renewal. There is mounting evidence that both differentiation and self-renewal are impaired upon aging, leading to tissue degeneration and functional decline. Understanding the molecular pathways that become deregulate in old stem cells is crucial to counteract aging-associated tissue impairment. In this review, we focus on the epigenetic mechanisms governing the transition between quiescent and active states, as well as the decision between self-renewal and differentiation in three different stem cell types, i.e., spermatogonial stem cells, hematopoietic stem cells, and muscle stem cells. We discuss the epigenetic events that channel stem cell fate decisions, how this epigenetic regulation is altered with age, and how this can lead to tissue dysfunction and disease. Finally, we provide short prospects of strategies to preserve stem cell function and thus promote healthy aging.
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25
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Fountoulakis KN, Gonda X, Siamouli M, Panagiotidis P, Moutou K, Nimatoudis I, Kasper S. Paternal and maternal age as risk factors for schizophrenia: a case-control study. Int J Psychiatry Clin Pract 2018; 22:170-176. [PMID: 29069946 DOI: 10.1080/13651501.2017.1391292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Advanced parental age might constitute a generic risk factor for mental and somatic disorders. The current study tested whether this concerns also patients with schizophrenia. METHODS A total of 231 schizophrenic, 56 other severe mental disorders patients and 204 controls were diagnosed according to DSM-IV-TR. Data were tested with ANOVA models including relative risk and odds ratios. RESULTS Patients with schizophrenia manifested higher paternal (32.55 ± 6.35 vs. 29.42 ± 6.07, p < .001) and maternal age (27.66 ± 5.57 vs. 25.46 ± 4.52, p < .001). Patients with other mental disorders had higher paternal (33.29 ± 8.35; p = .001) but not maternal age (26.69 ± 5.89; p = .296) compared to controls. There was no difference between the two patient groups concerning either paternal or maternal age (p > .05). There seems to be a higher risk for the development of schizophrenia in offspring with paternal age above 25 years and maternal age above 22 years at delivery. CONCLUSIONS The current study provides further support for the suggestion that advanced paternal age constitutes a risk factor (in a non-dose dependent and gender-independent way) for the development of schizophrenia but also for other mental disorders. In contrast, advanced maternal age characterises schizophrenia specifically. The higher risk is evident after 25 years of paternal and 22 years of maternal age, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos N Fountoulakis
- a Third Department of Psychiatry , School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki , Thessaloniki , Greece
| | - Xenia Gonda
- b Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , Semmelweis University , Budapest , Hungary.,c MTA-SE Neuropsychopharmacology and Neurochemistry Research Group , Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Semmelweis University , Budapest , Hungary
| | - Melina Siamouli
- a Third Department of Psychiatry , School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki , Thessaloniki , Greece
| | - Panagiotis Panagiotidis
- a Third Department of Psychiatry , School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki , Thessaloniki , Greece
| | | | - Ioannis Nimatoudis
- a Third Department of Psychiatry , School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki , Thessaloniki , Greece
| | - Siegfried Kasper
- e Universitätsklinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie , Medizinische Universität , Vienna , Austria
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26
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Levine H, Keinan-Boker L, Leiba A, Derazne E, Rais A, Kark JD. Paternal age and risk of testicular germ cell tumors: a cohort study of 1,000,000 men. Andrology 2017; 5:1124-1130. [PMID: 28950439 DOI: 10.1111/andr.12422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2017] [Revised: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 08/01/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT) are the most frequent cancer among young men, with increasing incidence worldwide. Advanced paternal age has been linked to adverse health outcomes in offspring, but reports on the association of paternal age with TGCT are few and inconsistent. We aimed to examine the relationship of paternal age (PAB) at birth with the risk of TGCT and by histologic type: seminoma and non-seminoma. A population-based cohort of 1,056,058 males, examined at ages 16-19 between the years 1980-2011, was linked to the Israel National Cancer Registry to obtain incident TGCT through 2012. We applied multivariable Cox regression. During 16.5 million person-years of follow-up, 1247 incident cases (604 seminomas and 643 non-seminomas) were detected. Increasing PAB was linearly associated with lower risk of TGCT (HRper year = 0.983, 95% CI: 0.974-0.993, p = 0.001), after adjustment for year of birth, years of education, height, cryptorchidism history and origin, and also with additional adjustment for maternal age at birth (MAB) (HRper year = 0.980: 0.965-0.995, p = 0.008). The association was stronger for seminoma (HRper year = 0.968: 0.946-0.989, p = 0.004) and persisted in a subset adjusted for sibship size (HRper year = 0.950: 0.917-0.983, p = 0.003). In the fully adjusted model, young PAB (15-24 vs. ≥30) was a risk factor for seminoma (HR = 1.41: 1.07-1.85, p = 0.014). In models adjusted for PAB, MAB was not associated with risk of TGCT. In conclusion, our findings suggest that young paternal age is a risk factor of TGCT, especially seminoma. The findings warrant further investigation into the possible impact of young paternal age on their offsprings' testes.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Levine
- Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Hebrew University-Hadassah, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - L Keinan-Boker
- The National Cancer Registry, Israel Center for Disease Control, Jerusalem, Israel.,School of Public Health, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - A Leiba
- The Israel Defense Forces Medical Corps, Tel Hashomer, Israel.,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.,Institute of Nephrology and Hypertension, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - E Derazne
- The Israel Defense Forces Medical Corps, Tel Hashomer, Israel.,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - A Rais
- The Israel Defense Forces Medical Corps, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - J D Kark
- Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Hebrew University-Hadassah, Jerusalem, Israel
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27
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Janecka M, Haworth CM, Ronald A, Krapohl E, Happé F, Mill J, Schalkwyk LC, Fernandes C, Reichenberg A, Rijsdijk F. Paternal Age Alters Social Development in Offspring. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2017; 56:383-390. [PMID: 28433087 PMCID: PMC5409803 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2017.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2016] [Revised: 02/10/2017] [Accepted: 02/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Advanced paternal age (APA) at conception has been linked with autism and schizophrenia in offspring, neurodevelopmental disorders that affect social functioning. The current study explored the effects of paternal age on social development in the general population. METHOD We used multilevel growth modeling to investigate APA effects on socioemotional development from early childhood until adolescence, as measured by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) in the Twins Early Development Study (TEDS) sample. We also investigated genetic and environmental underpinnings of the paternal age effects on development, using the Additive genetics, Common environment, unique Environment (ACE) and gene-environment (GxE) models. RESULTS In the general population, both very young and advanced paternal ages were associated with altered trajectory of social development (intercept: p = .01; slope: p = .03). No other behavioral domain was affected by either young or advanced age at fatherhood, suggesting specificity of paternal age effects. Increased importance of genetic factors in social development was recorded in the offspring of older but not very young fathers, suggesting distinct underpinnings of the paternal age effects at these two extremes. CONCLUSION Our findings highlight that the APA-related deficits that lead to autism and schizophrenia are likely continuously distributed in the population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Janecka
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry (SGDP) Centre, King's College London, UK; Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York.
| | - Claire M.A. Haworth
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, School of Experimental Psychology and School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, UK
| | | | - Eva Krapohl
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry (SGDP) Centre, King's College London, UK
| | - Francesca Happé
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry (SGDP) Centre, King's College London, UK
| | - Jonathan Mill
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry (SGDP) Centre, King's College London, UK,University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | | | - Cathy Fernandes
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry (SGDP) Centre, King's College London, UK
| | - Abraham Reichenberg
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York
| | - Frühling Rijsdijk
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry (SGDP) Centre, King's College London, UK
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28
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de Kluiver H, Buizer‐Voskamp JE, Dolan CV, Boomsma DI. Paternal age and psychiatric disorders: A review. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2017; 174:202-213. [PMID: 27770494 PMCID: PMC5412832 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2016] [Accepted: 10/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
We review the hypotheses concerning the association between the paternal age at childbearing and childhood psychiatric disorders (autism spectrum- and attention deficit/hyperactive disorder) and adult disorders (schizophrenia, bipolar-, obsessive-compulsive-, and major depressive disorder) based on epidemiological studies. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the paternal age effect. We discuss the four main-not mutually exclusive-hypotheses. These are the de novo mutation hypothesis, the hypothesis concerning epigenetic alterations, the selection into late fatherhood hypothesis, and the environmental resource hypothesis. Advanced paternal age in relation to autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia provided the most robust epidemiological evidence for an association, with some studies reporting a monotonic risk increase over age, and others reporting a marked increase at a given age threshold. Although there is evidence for the de novo mutation hypothesis and the selection into late fatherhood hypothesis, the mechanism(s) underlying the association between advanced paternal age and psychiatric illness in offspring remains to be further clarified. © 2016 The Authors. American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilde de Kluiver
- Department of Biological PsychologyVrije Universiteit AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care ResearchAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | | | - Conor V. Dolan
- Department of Biological PsychologyVrije Universiteit AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care ResearchAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Dorret I. Boomsma
- Department of Biological PsychologyVrije Universiteit AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care ResearchAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Neuroscience Campus AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
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29
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Janecka M, Mill J, Basson MA, Goriely A, Spiers H, Reichenberg A, Schalkwyk L, Fernandes C. Advanced paternal age effects in neurodevelopmental disorders-review of potential underlying mechanisms. Transl Psychiatry 2017; 7:e1019. [PMID: 28140401 PMCID: PMC5299396 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2016.294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2016] [Revised: 11/23/2016] [Accepted: 12/15/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple epidemiological studies suggest a relationship between advanced paternal age (APA) at conception and adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in offspring, particularly with regard to increased risk for autism and schizophrenia. Conclusive evidence about how age-related changes in paternal gametes, or age-independent behavioral traits affect neural development is still lacking. Recent evidence suggests that the origins of APA effects are likely to be multidimensional, involving both inherited predisposition and de novo events. Here we provide a review of the epidemiological and molecular findings to date. Focusing on the latter, we present the evidence for genetic and epigenetic mechanisms underpinning the association between late fatherhood and disorder in offspring. We also discuss the limitations of the APA literature. We propose that different hypotheses relating to the origins of the APA effects are not mutually exclusive. Instead, multiple mechanisms likely contribute, reflecting the etiological complexity of neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Janecka
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - J Mill
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - M A Basson
- Department of Craniofacial and Stem Cell Biology, MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, UK
| | - A Goriely
- Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - H Spiers
- University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - A Reichenberg
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - L Schalkwyk
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, UK
| | - C Fernandes
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
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30
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Frans EM, Lichtenstein P, Hultman CM, Kuja-Halkola R. Age at fatherhood: heritability and associations with psychiatric disorders. Psychol Med 2016; 46:2981-2988. [PMID: 27516123 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291716001744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Advancing paternal age has been linked to psychiatric disorders. These associations might be caused by the increased number of de novo mutations transmitted to offspring of older men. It has also been suggested that the associations are confounded by a genetic liability for psychiatric disorders in parents. The aim of this study was to indirectly test the confounding hypotheses by examining if there is a genetic component to advancing paternal age and if men with a genetic liability for psychiatric disorders have children at older ages. METHOD We examined the genetic component to advancing paternal age by utilizing the twin model in a cohort of male twins (N = 14 679). We also studied ages at childbirth in men with or without schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and/or autism spectrum disorder. Ages were examined in: (1) healthy men, (2) affected men, (3) healthy men with an affected sibling, (4) men with healthy spouses, (5) men with affected spouses, and (6) men with healthy spouses with an affected sibling. RESULTS The twin analyses showed that late fatherhood is under genetic influence (heritability = 0.33). However, affected men or men with affected spouses did not have children at older ages. The same was found for healthy individuals with affected siblings. Instead, these men were generally having children at younger ages. CONCLUSION Although there is a genetic component influencing late fatherhood, our data suggest that the associations are not explained by psychiatric disorders or a genetic liability for psychiatric disorders in the parent.
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Affiliation(s)
- E M Frans
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics,Karolinska Institutet,Sweden
| | - P Lichtenstein
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics,Karolinska Institutet,Sweden
| | - C M Hultman
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics,Karolinska Institutet,Sweden
| | - R Kuja-Halkola
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics,Karolinska Institutet,Sweden
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31
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Lehrer DS, Pato MT, Nahhas RW, Miller BR, Malaspina D, Buckley PF, Sobell JL, Walsh-Messinger J, Genomic Psychiatry Cohort Consortium, Pato CN. Paternal age effect: Replication in schizophrenia with intriguing dissociation between bipolar with and without psychosis. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2016; 171:495-505. [PMID: 26183902 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2015] [Accepted: 06/02/2015] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Advanced paternal age (APA) is a risk factor for schizophrenia (Sz) and bipolar disorder (BP). Putative mechanisms include heritable genetic factors, de novo mutations, and epigenetic mechanisms. Few studies have explored phenotypic features associated with APA. The Genomic Psychiatry Cohort established a clinically characterized repository of genomic samples from subjects with a Sz-BP diagnosis or unaffected controls, 12,975 with parental age information. We estimated relative risk ratios for Sz, schizoaffective depressed and bipolar types (SA-D, SA-B), and BP with and without history of psychotic features (PF) relative to the control group, comparing each paternal age group to the reference group 20-24 years. All tests were two-sided with adjustment for multiple comparisons. Subjects with fathers age 45+ had significantly higher risk for all diagnoses except for BP w/o PF. APA also bore no significant relation to family psychiatric history. In conclusion, we replicated APA as a risk factor for Sz. To our knowledge, this is the first published report of APA in a BP sample stratified by psychosis history, extending this association only in BP w/PF. This suggests that phenotypic expression of the APA effect in Sz-BP spectrum is psychosis, per se, rather than other aspects of these complex disorders. The lack of a significant relationship between paternal age and familial disease patterns suggests that underlying mechanisms of the paternal age effect may involve a complex interaction of heritable and non-heritable factors. The authors discuss implications and testable hypotheses, starting with a focus on genetic mechanisms and endophenotypic expressions of dopaminergic function. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas S Lehrer
- Department of Psychiatry, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio.,Summit Behavioral Healthcare, Ohio Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Michele T Pato
- College of Medicine, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York.,Department of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Ramzi W Nahhas
- Department of Psychiatry, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio.,Department of Community Health, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio
| | - Brian R Miller
- Department of Psychiatry, Georgia Medical College at Georgia Regents University, Augusta, Georgia
| | | | - Peter F Buckley
- Department of Psychiatry, Georgia Medical College at Georgia Regents University, Augusta, Georgia.,Office of the Dean, Georgia Medical College at Georgia Regents University, Augusta, Georgia
| | - Janet L Sobell
- Department of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Julie Walsh-Messinger
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | | | - Carlos N Pato
- College of Medicine, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York.,Department of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
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32
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Lee BK, McGrath JJ. Advancing parental age and autism: multifactorial pathways. Trends Mol Med 2015; 21:118-25. [PMID: 25662027 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2014.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2014] [Revised: 11/07/2014] [Accepted: 11/20/2014] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Converging evidence from epidemiological, genetic, and animal studies supports the hypothesis that advancing parental age, both of the father and mother, increases the risk of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in offspring. Paternal age has received considerable attention, with whole-genome sequencing studies linking older fathers to higher rates of de novo mutations and increased risk of ASD. The current evidence suggests that the increased risk of ASD in the offspring of older mothers may be related to mechanisms different from those operating in older fathers. Causal pathways probably involve the interaction of multiple risk factors. Although the etiology of ASD is still poorly understood, studies of parental age provide clues into the genetic and environ-mental mechanisms that mediate the risk of ASD.
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The aetiology of schizophrenia: what have the Swedish Medical Registers taught us? Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2015; 50:1471-9. [PMID: 26088681 DOI: 10.1007/s00127-015-1081-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2015] [Accepted: 06/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To review the last thirty years of studies that, using Swedish population registers, have added to our understanding of the aetiology of schizophrenia SAMPLE INCLUDED/METHODS: A literature search was performed to systematically review all studies that using Swedish Population based registers have investigated the aetiology of schizophrenia. Key authors in the field, predominately from Swedish institutions, were additionally contacted and key journals hand searched, for missing references. A quality assessment methodological review was then conducted on each study. Data was extracted and tabulated on identified aetiological themes RESULTS 61 articles were included corresponding to 10 identified aetiological themes. Although the majority of included studies were retrospective cohort studies, case control studies were also included where they used population based registers. Confirming previous research, schizophrenia was found to have a multi-factorial aetiological basis with pregnancy and birth factors, parental age, social adversity, genetics, substance misuse, migration and ethnicity, personality, non-psychiatric co-morbidity, psychiatric history and poor cognitive performance all found to be significantly associated with an increased risk of later schizophrenia. CONCLUSIONS Although some difficulties exist in analysing the interplay between each of these factors, the Swedish population registers have added considerably to our understanding of each of the presented individual aetiological themes. The ability to study the whole population over several decades has been particularly useful in determining the timing of exposures.
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Smith KR. Paternal age bioethics. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ETHICS 2015; 41:775-779. [PMID: 26037282 DOI: 10.1136/medethics-2014-102405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2014] [Accepted: 05/13/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Modern genetic sequencing studies have confirmed that the sperm of older men contain a greater number of de novo germline mutations than the sperm of younger men. Although most of these mutations are neutral or of minimal phenotypic impact, a minority of them present a risk to the health of future children. If demographic trends towards later fatherhood continue, this will likely lead to a more children suffering from genetic disorders. A trend of later fatherhood will accelerate the accumulation of paternal-origin de novo mutations in the gene pool, gradually reducing human fitness in the long term. These risks suggest that paternal age is of ethical importance. Children affected by de novo mutations arising from delayed fatherhood can be said to be harmed, in the sense of 'impersonal' harm or 'non-comparative' harm. Various strategies are open at societal and individual levels towards reducing deleterious paternal age effects. Options include health education to promote earlier fatherhood, incentives for young sperm donors and state-supported universal sperm banking. The latter approach would likely be of the greatest benefit and could in principle be implemented immediately. More futuristically, human germline genetic modification offers the potential to repair heritable mutational damage.
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Ozkosem B, Feinstein SI, Fisher AB, O'Flaherty C. Advancing age increases sperm chromatin damage and impairs fertility in peroxiredoxin 6 null mice. Redox Biol 2015; 5:15-23. [PMID: 25796034 PMCID: PMC4371547 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2015.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2015] [Revised: 02/19/2015] [Accepted: 02/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to socioeconomic factors, more couples are choosing to delay conception than ever. Increasing average maternal and paternal age in developed countries over the past 40 years has raised the question of how aging affects reproductive success of males and females. Since oxidative stress in the male reproductive tract increases with age, we investigated the impact of advanced paternal age on the integrity of sperm nucleus and reproductive success of males by using a Prdx6(-/-) mouse model. We compared sperm motility, cytoplasmic droplet retention sperm chromatin quality and reproductive outcomes of young (2-month-old), adult (8-month-old), and old (20-month-old) Prdx6(-/-) males with their age-matched wild type (WT) controls. Absence of PRDX6 caused age-dependent impairment of sperm motility and sperm maturation and increased sperm DNA fragmentation and oxidation as well as decreased sperm DNA compaction and protamination. Litter size, total number of litters and total number of pups per male were significantly lower in Prdx6(-/-) males compared to WT controls. These abnormal reproductive outcomes were severely affected by age in Prdx6(-/-) males. In conclusion, the advanced paternal age affects sperm chromatin integrity and fertility more severely in the absence of PRDX6, suggesting a protective role of PRDX6 in age-associated decline in the sperm quality and fertility in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Burak Ozkosem
- Urology Research Laboratory, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Department of Surgery (Urology Division), Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Sheldon I Feinstein
- Institute for Environmental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Physiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Aron B Fisher
- Institute for Environmental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Physiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Cristian O'Flaherty
- Urology Research Laboratory, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Department of Surgery (Urology Division), Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
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Wang SH, Liu CM, Hwu HG, Hsiao CK, Chen WJ. Association of older paternal age with earlier onset among co-affected schizophrenia sib-pairs. Psychol Med 2015; 45:2205-2213. [PMID: 25746410 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291715000203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Advanced paternal age is associated with increased risk of schizophrenia. This study aimed to explore whether older paternal age is associated with earlier onset among co-affected schizophrenia sib-pairs with the same familial predisposition. METHOD A total of 1297 patients with schizophrenia from 630 families, which were ascertained to have at least two siblings affected, throughout Taiwan were interviewed using the Diagnostic Interview for Genetic Studies. Both inter-family comparisons, a hierarchical regression model allowing for familial dependence and adjusting for confounders, and within-family comparisons, examining the consistency between onset order and birth order, were performed. RESULTS An inverted U shape was observed between paternal age and onset of schizophrenia. Affected offspring with paternal age of 20-24 years had the oldest onset. As paternal age increased over 25 years, older paternal age exhibited a linear decrease in the onset of schizophrenia. On average, the onset was lowered by 1.5 years for paternal age of 25-29 years and by 5.5 years for paternal age ⩾50 years (p = 0.04; trend test). The proportion of younger siblings with earlier onset (58%) was larger than that of older siblings with earlier onset (42%) (p = 0.0002). CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that paternal age older than 25 years and younger than 20 years were both associated with earlier onset among familial schizophrenia cases. The associations of advanced paternal age with both increased susceptibility to schizophrenia and earlier onset of schizophrenia are consistent with the rate of increases in spontaneous mutations in sperm as men age.
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Affiliation(s)
- S H Wang
- Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University,Taipei,Taiwan
| | - C M Liu
- Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University,Taipei,Taiwan
| | - H G Hwu
- Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University,Taipei,Taiwan
| | - C K Hsiao
- Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University,Taipei,Taiwan
| | - W J Chen
- Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University,Taipei,Taiwan
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Hayward AD, Lummaa V, Bazykin GA. Fitness Consequences of Advanced Ancestral Age over Three Generations in Humans. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0128197. [PMID: 26030274 PMCID: PMC4451146 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0128197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2014] [Accepted: 04/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A rapid rise in age at parenthood in contemporary societies has increased interest in reports of higher prevalence of de novo mutations and health problems in individuals with older fathers, but the fitness consequences of such age effects over several generations remain untested. Here, we use extensive pedigree data on seven pre-industrial Finnish populations to show how the ages of ancestors for up to three generations are associated with fitness traits. Individuals whose fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers fathered their lineage on average under age 30 were ~13% more likely to survive to adulthood than those whose ancestors fathered their lineage at over 40 years. In addition, females had a lower probability of marriage if their male ancestors were older. These findings are consistent with an increase of the number of accumulated de novo mutations with male age, suggesting that deleterious mutations acquired from recent ancestors may be a substantial burden to fitness in humans. However, possible non-mutational explanations for the observed associations are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam D Hayward
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, Alfred Denny Building, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, United Kingdom; Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Charlotte Auerbach Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FL, United Kingdom
| | - Virpi Lummaa
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, Alfred Denny Building, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, United Kingdom
| | - Georgii A Bazykin
- Institute for Information Transmission Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Kharkevich Institute), Bolshoy Karetny pereulok 19, Moscow, 127994, Russia; Department of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Vorbyevy Gory 1-73, Moscow, 119992, Russia; Belozersky Institute for Physical and Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Vorbyevy Gory 1-40, Moscow, 119992, Russia; Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Ul. Ostrovityanova 1, Moscow, 117997, Russia
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Wright C, Calhoun VD, Ehrlich S, Wang L, Turner JA, Bizzozero NIP. Meta gene set enrichment analyses link miR-137-regulated pathways with schizophrenia risk. Front Genet 2015; 6:147. [PMID: 25941532 PMCID: PMC4403556 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2015.00147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2014] [Accepted: 03/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) within MIR137, the host gene for miR-137, has been identified repeatedly as a risk factor for schizophrenia. Previous genetic pathway analyses suggest that potential targets of this microRNA (miRNA) are also highly enriched in schizophrenia-relevant biological pathways, including those involved in nervous system development and function. METHODS In this study, we evaluated the schizophrenia risk of miR-137 target genes within these pathways. Gene set enrichment analysis of pathway-specific miR-137 targets was performed using the stage 1 (21,856 subjects) schizophrenia genome wide association study data from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium and a small independent replication cohort (244 subjects) from the Mind Clinical Imaging Consortium and Northwestern University. RESULTS Gene sets of potential miR-137 targets were enriched with variants associated with schizophrenia risk, including target sets involved in axonal guidance signaling, Ephrin receptor signaling, long-term potentiation, PKA signaling, and Sertoli cell junction signaling. The schizophrenia-risk association of SNPs in PKA signaling targets was replicated in the second independent cohort. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that these biological pathways may be involved in the mechanisms by which this MIR137 variant enhances schizophrenia risk. SNPs in targets and the miRNA host gene may collectively lead to dysregulation of target expression and aberrant functioning of such implicated pathways. Pathway-guided gene set enrichment analyses should be useful in evaluating the impact of other miRNAs and target genes in different diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carrie Wright
- The Mind Research NetworkAlbuquerque, NM, USA
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New MexicoAlbuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Vince D. Calhoun
- The Mind Research NetworkAlbuquerque, NM, USA
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New MexicoAlbuquerque, NM, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of New MexicoAlbuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Stefan Ehrlich
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität DresdenDresden, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General HospitalBoston, MA, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital/Massachusetts Institute of Technology/Harvard Medical SchoolCharlestown, MA, USA
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of MedicineChicago, IL, USA
- Department of Radiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of MedicineChicago, IL, USA
| | - Jessica A. Turner
- The Mind Research NetworkAlbuquerque, NM, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State UniversityAtlanta, GA, USA
| | - Nora I. Perrone- Bizzozero
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New MexicoAlbuquerque, NM, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of New MexicoAlbuquerque, NM, USA
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Sharma R, Agarwal A, Rohra VK, Assidi M, Abu-Elmagd M, Turki RF. Effects of increased paternal age on sperm quality, reproductive outcome and associated epigenetic risks to offspring. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2015; 13:35. [PMID: 25928123 PMCID: PMC4455614 DOI: 10.1186/s12958-015-0028-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 214] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2014] [Accepted: 04/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the last decade, there has been a significant increase in average paternal age when the first child is conceived, either due to increased life expectancy, widespread use of contraception, late marriages and other factors. While the effect of maternal ageing on fertilization and reproduction is well known and several studies have shown that women over 35 years have a higher risk of infertility, pregnancy complications, spontaneous abortion, congenital anomalies, and perinatal complications. The effect of paternal age on semen quality and reproductive function is controversial for several reasons. First, there is no universal definition for advanced paternal ageing. Secondly, the literature is full of studies with conflicting results, especially for the most common parameters tested. Advancing paternal age also has been associated with increased risk of genetic disease. Our exhaustive literature review has demonstrated negative effects on sperm quality and testicular functions with increasing paternal age. Epigenetics changes, DNA mutations along with chromosomal aneuploidies have been associated with increasing paternal age. In addition to increased risk of male infertility, paternal age has also been demonstrated to impact reproductive and fertility outcomes including a decrease in IVF/ICSI success rate and increasing rate of preterm birth. Increasing paternal age has shown to increase the incidence of different types of disorders like autism, schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, and childhood leukemia in the progeny. It is thereby essential to educate the infertile couples on the disturbing links between increased paternal age and rising disorders in their offspring, to better counsel them during their reproductive years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rakesh Sharma
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
| | - Ashok Agarwal
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
| | - Vikram K Rohra
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
| | - Mourad Assidi
- Center of Excellence in Genomic Medicine Research, King AbdulAziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
- KACST Technology Innovation Center in Personalized Medicine at King AbdulAziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Muhammad Abu-Elmagd
- Center of Excellence in Genomic Medicine Research, King AbdulAziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
- KACST Technology Innovation Center in Personalized Medicine at King AbdulAziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Rola F Turki
- KACST Technology Innovation Center in Personalized Medicine at King AbdulAziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
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40
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Frans
- Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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41
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Bergen SE. Genetic Modifiers and Subtypes in Schizophrenia. Curr Behav Neurosci Rep 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s40473-014-0025-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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42
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Merikangas AK, Segurado R, Cormican P, Heron EA, Anney RJL, Moore S, Kelleher E, Hargreaves A, Anderson-Schmidt H, Gill M, Gallagher L, Corvin A. The phenotypic manifestations of rare CNVs in schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 2014; 158:255-60. [PMID: 24999052 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2014.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2014] [Revised: 06/14/2014] [Accepted: 06/14/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
There is compelling evidence for the role of copy number variants (CNVs) in schizophrenia susceptibility, and it has been estimated that up to 2-3% of schizophrenia cases may carry rare CNVs. Despite evidence that these events are associated with an increased risk across categorical neurodevelopmental disorders, there is limited understanding of the impact of CNVs on the core features of disorders like schizophrenia. Our objective was to evaluate associations between rare CNVs in differentially brain expressed (BE) genes and the core features and clinical correlates of schizophrenia. The sample included 386 cases of Irish ancestry with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, at least one rare CNV impacting any gene, and a core set of phenotypic measures. Statistically significant associations between deletions in differentially BE genes were found for family history of mental illness (decreased prevalence of all CNVs and deletions, unadjusted and adjusted) and for paternal age (increase in deletions only, unadjusted, among those with later ages at birth of patient). The strong effect of a lack of a family history on BE genes suggests that CNVs may comprise one pathway to schizophrenia, whereas a positive family history could index other genetic mechanisms that increase schizophrenia vulnerability. To our knowledge, this is the first investigation of the association between genome-wide CNVs and risk factors and sub-phenotypic features of schizophrenia beyond cognitive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison K Merikangas
- Department of Psychiatry & Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland.
| | - Ricardo Segurado
- Centre for Support and Training in Analysis and Research, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Paul Cormican
- Department of Psychiatry & Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Elizabeth A Heron
- Department of Psychiatry & Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Richard J L Anney
- Department of Psychiatry & Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Susan Moore
- Department of Psychiatry & Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Eric Kelleher
- Department of Psychiatry & Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - April Hargreaves
- Department of Psychiatry & Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Heike Anderson-Schmidt
- Psychiatric Genetics, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Centre, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Germany
| | - Michael Gill
- Department of Psychiatry & Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Louise Gallagher
- Department of Psychiatry & Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Aiden Corvin
- Department of Psychiatry & Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
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Sampino S, Juszczak GR, Zacchini F, Swiergiel AH, Modlinski JA, Loi P, Ptak GE. Grand-paternal age and the development of autism-like symptoms in mice progeny. Transl Psychiatry 2014; 4:e386. [PMID: 24780920 PMCID: PMC4012289 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2014.27] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2013] [Revised: 02/04/2014] [Accepted: 02/25/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Advanced paternal age (APA) contributes to the risk of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in children. In this study, we used a mouse model to investigate the effects of APA on behavioral features related to autistic syndromes (that is, social deficits, communication impairments and stereotypic/repetitive behaviors). We also examined whether such effects are transmitted across generations. To do this, males aged 15 months (APA) and 4 months (control) were bred with 4-month-old females, and the resulting offspring (F1) and their progeny (F2; conceived by 4-month-old parents) were tested for the presence and severity of ASD-like behaviors. Our results indicate that APA resulted in offspring that displayed distinctive symptoms of ASD. We found that both F1 conceived from old fathers and F2 derived from old grandfathers displayed increased ultrasound vocalization (USV) activity, decreased sociability, increased grooming activity and increased anxiety-like responses. Moreover, such abnormalities were partially transmitted to the second generation of mice, having APA grandfathers. In conclusion, our study suggests that the risk of ASD could develop over generations, consistent with heritable mutations and/or epigenetic alterations associated with APA.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Sampino
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy,Institute of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Polish Academy of Sciences, Jastrzebiec, Poland
| | - G R Juszczak
- Institute of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Polish Academy of Sciences, Jastrzebiec, Poland
| | - F Zacchini
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | - A H Swiergiel
- Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland,Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Neuroscience, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC), Shreveport, LA, USA
| | - J A Modlinski
- Institute of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Polish Academy of Sciences, Jastrzebiec, Poland
| | - P Loi
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | - G E Ptak
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy,Institute of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Polish Academy of Sciences, Jastrzebiec, Poland,Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, p.za aldo moro 45, 64100 Teramo, Italy. E-mail:
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Malaspina D, Dracxler R, Walsh-Messinger J, Harlap S, Goetz RR, Keefe D, Perrin MC. Telomere length, family history, and paternal age in schizophrenia. Mol Genet Genomic Med 2014; 2:326-31. [PMID: 25077175 PMCID: PMC4113273 DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.71] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2013] [Revised: 01/20/2014] [Accepted: 01/29/2014] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is longer in association with advanced paternal age, but this association has not been examined along with family history (FH) in schizophrenia. LTL was measured by PCR and compared across cases and controls as part of a study to examine the characteristics of paternal age related schizophrenia. The 53 schizophrenia cases had similar mean LTL as 20 controls, although cases were significantly older than controls and overwhelmingly smoked cigarettes. Multivariate analyses showed that a FH of schizophrenia was associated with longer LTL in both male and female cases. Later paternal age was also related to longer LTL in male cases, but with shorter LTL in female cases. Male cases with older fathers and a FH had the longest LTL. The genetic architecture associated with a familial risk for schizophrenia may include pathways that lengthen LTL. Paternal aging conferred an additional increase in LTL lengthening in male cases, but reduced LTL in female cases. The gender difference in LTL for paternal aging is consistent with the severe illness features reported for female cases with older fathers and could implicate epigenetic alterations in the paternal X chromosomal region with advanced paternal age in association with the risk for schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dolores Malaspina
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute for Social and Psychiatric Initiatives, New York University School of Medicine New York, New York ; Creedmoor Psychiatric Center, NY State Office of Mental Health New York, New York
| | - Roberta Dracxler
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute for Social and Psychiatric Initiatives, New York University School of Medicine New York, New York ; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, New York University School of Medicine New York, New York
| | - Julie Walsh-Messinger
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute for Social and Psychiatric Initiatives, New York University School of Medicine New York, New York
| | - Susan Harlap
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute for Social and Psychiatric Initiatives, New York University School of Medicine New York, New York
| | - Raymond R Goetz
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute for Social and Psychiatric Initiatives, New York University School of Medicine New York, New York ; Division of Clinical Phenomenology, New York State Psychiatric Institute New York, New York
| | - David Keefe
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, New York University School of Medicine New York, New York
| | - Mary C Perrin
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute for Social and Psychiatric Initiatives, New York University School of Medicine New York, New York
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45
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Karcher NR, Slutske WS, Kerns JG, Piasecki TM, Martin NG. Sex differences in magical ideation: a community-based twin study. Personal Disord 2013; 5:212-9. [PMID: 24364500 DOI: 10.1037/per0000040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Two questions regarding sex differences in magical ideation were investigated in this study: (1) whether there are mean-level sex differences on the Magical Ideation Scale (MIS), and (2) whether there are quantitative and/or qualitative sex differences in the genetic contributions to variation on this scale. These questions were evaluated using data obtained from a large community sample of adult Australian twins (N = 4,355) that included opposite-sex pairs. Participants completed a modified 15-item version of the MIS within a larger assessment battery. Women reported both higher means and variability on the MIS than men; this was also observed within families (in opposite-sex twin pairs). Biometric modeling indicated that the proportion of variation in MIS scores due to genetic influences (indicating quantitative sex differences) and the specific latent genetic contributions to this variation (indicating qualitative sex differences) were the same in men and women. These findings clarify the nature of sex differences in magical ideation and point to avenues for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wendy S Slutske
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri
| | - John G Kerns
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri
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46
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Maher GJ, Goriely A, Wilkie AOM. Cellular evidence for selfish spermatogonial selection in aged human testes. Andrology 2013; 2:304-14. [PMID: 24357637 DOI: 10.1111/j.2047-2927.2013.00175.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2013] [Revised: 11/18/2013] [Accepted: 11/20/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Owing to a recent trend for delayed paternity, the genomic integrity of spermatozoa of older men has become a focus of increased interest. Older fathers are at higher risk for their children to be born with several monogenic conditions collectively termed paternal age effect (PAE) disorders, which include achondroplasia, Apert syndrome and Costello syndrome. These disorders are caused by specific mutations originating almost exclusively from the male germline, in genes encoding components of the tyrosine kinase receptor/RAS/MAPK signalling pathway. These particular mutations, occurring randomly during mitotic divisions of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs), are predicted to confer a selective/growth advantage on the mutant SSC. This selective advantage leads to a clonal expansion of the mutant cells over time, which generates mutant spermatozoa at levels significantly above the background mutation rate. This phenomenon, termed selfish spermatogonial selection, is likely to occur in all men. In rare cases, probably because of additional mutational events, selfish spermatogonial selection may lead to spermatocytic seminoma. The studies that initially predicted the clonal nature of selfish spermatogonial selection were based on DNA analysis, rather than the visualization of mutant clones in intact testes. In a recent study that aimed to identify these clones directly, we stained serial sections of fixed testes for expression of melanoma antigen family A4 (MAGEA4), a marker of spermatogonia. A subset of seminiferous tubules with an appearance and distribution compatible with the predicted mutant clones were identified. In these tubules, termed 'immunopositive tubules', there is an increased density of spermatogonia positive for markers related to selfish selection (FGFR3) and SSC self-renewal (phosphorylated AKT). Here we detail the properties of the immunopositive tubules and how they relate to the predicted mutant clones, as well as discussing the utility of identifying the potential cellular source of PAE mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- G J Maher
- Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
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47
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Crow TJ. The XY gene hypothesis of psychosis: origins and current status. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2013; 162B:800-24. [PMID: 24123874 PMCID: PMC4065359 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2011] [Accepted: 08/19/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Sex differences in psychosis and their interaction with laterality (systematic departures from 50:50 left-right symmetry across the antero-posterior neural axis) are reviewed in the context of the X-Y gene hypothesis. Aspects of laterality (handedness/cerebral asymmetry/the torque) predict (1) verbal and non-verbal ability in childhood and across adult life and (2) anatomical, physiological, and linguistic variation relating to psychosis. Neuropsychological and MRI evidence from individuals with sex chromosome aneuploidies indicates that laterality is associated with an X-Y homologous gene pair. Within each mammalian species the complement of such X-Y gene pairs reflects their potential to account for taxon-specific sexual dimorphisms. As a consequence of the mechanism of meiotic suppression of unpaired chromosomes such X-Y gene pairs generate epigenetic variation around a species defining motif that is carried to the zygote with potential to initiate embryonic gene expression in XX or XY format. The Protocadherin11XY (PCDH11XY) gene pair in Xq21.3/Yp11.2 in probable coordination with a gene or genes within PAR2 (the second pseudo-autosomal region) is the prime candidate in relation to cerebral asymmetry and psychosis in Homo sapiens. The lately-described pattern of sequence variation associated with psychosis on the autosomes may reflect a component of the human genome's adjustment to selective pressures generated by the sexually dimorphic mate recognition system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J Crow
- Department of Psychiatry, SANE POWIC, Warneford Hospital, University of OxfordOxford, UK
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48
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Goriely A, McGrath JJ, Hultman CM, Wilkie AOM, Malaspina D. "Selfish spermatogonial selection": a novel mechanism for the association between advanced paternal age and neurodevelopmental disorders. Am J Psychiatry 2013; 170:599-608. [PMID: 23639989 PMCID: PMC4001324 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2013.12101352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
There is robust evidence from epidemiological studies that the offspring of older fathers have an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, such as schizophrenia and autism. The authors present a novel mechanism that may contribute to this association. Because the male germ cell undergoes many more cell divisions across the reproductive age range, copy errors taking place in the paternal germline are associated with de novo mutations in the offspring of older men. Recently it has been recognized that somatic mutations in male germ cells that modify proliferation through dysregulation of the RAS protein pathway can lead to within-testis expansion of mutant clonal lines. First identified in association with rare disorders related to paternal age (e.g., Apert syndrome, achondroplasia), this process is known as "selfish spermatogonial selection." This mechanism favors propagation of germ cells carrying pathogenic mutations, increasingly skews the mutational profile of sperm as men age, and enriches de novo mutations in the offspring of older fathers that preferentially affect specific cellular signaling pathways. This mechanism not only offers a parsimonious explanation for the association between advanced paternal age and various neurodevelopmental disorders but also provides insights into the genetic architecture (role of de novo mutations), neurobiological correlates (altered cell cycle), and some epidemiological features of these disorders. The authors outline hypotheses to test this model. Given the secular changes for delayed parenthood in most societies, this hypothesis has important public health implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Goriely
- Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
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49
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Frans EM, Sandin S, Reichenberg A, Långström N, Lichtenstein P, McGrath JJ, Hultman CM. Autism risk across generations: a population-based study of advancing grandpaternal and paternal age. JAMA Psychiatry 2013; 70:516-21. [PMID: 23553111 PMCID: PMC3701020 DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2013.1180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Advancing paternal age has been linked to autism. OBJECTIVE To further expand knowledge about the association between paternal age and autism by studying the effect of grandfathers' age on childhood autism. DESIGN Population-based, multigenerational, case-control study. SETTING Nationwide multigeneration and patient registers in Sweden. PARTICIPANTS We conducted a study of individuals born in Sweden since 1932. Parental age at birth was obtained for more than 90% of the cohort. Grandparental age at the time of birth of the parent was obtained for a smaller subset (5936 cases and 30 923 controls). MAIN OUTCOME AND MEASURE International Classification of Diseases diagnosis of childhood autism in the patient registry. RESULTS A statistically significant monotonic association was found between advancing grandpaternal age at the time of birth of the parent and risk of autism in grandchildren. Men who had fathered a daughter when they were 50 years or older were 1.79 times (95% CI, 1.35-2.37; P < .001) more likely to have a grandchild with autism, and men who had fathered a son when they were 50 years or older were 1.67 times (95% CI, 1.35-2.37; P < .001) more likely to have a grandchild with autism, compared with men who had fathered children when they were 20 to 24 years old, after controlling for birth year and sex of the child, age of the spouse, family history of psychiatric disorders, highest family educational level, and residential county. A statistically significant monotonic association was also found between advancing paternal age and risk of autism in the offspring. Sensitivity analyses indicated that these findings were not the result of bias due to missing data on grandparental age. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Advanced grandparental age was associated with increased risk of autism, suggesting that risk of autism could develop over generations. The results are consistent with mutations and/or epigenetic alterations associated with advancing paternal age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma M Frans
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Sven Sandin
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Abraham Reichenberg
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s Health Partners, King’s College London, London, UK.
,Department of Psychiatry, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Niklas Långström
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
,Centre for Violence Prevention, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Paul Lichtenstein
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - John J McGrath
- Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, The Park Centre for Mental Health, Richlands, Australia
,Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Australia
,Department of Psychiatry, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Australia
| | - Christina M Hultman
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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50
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Wright C, Turner JA, Calhoun VD, Perrone-Bizzozero N. Potential Impact of miR-137 and Its Targets in Schizophrenia. Front Genet 2013; 4:58. [PMID: 23637704 PMCID: PMC3636510 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2013.00058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2012] [Accepted: 04/02/2013] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The significant impact of microRNAs (miRNAs) on disease pathology is becoming increasingly evident. These small non-coding RNAs have the ability to post-transcriptionally silence the expression of thousands of genes. Therefore, dysregulation of even a single miRNA could confer a large polygenic effect. Schizophrenia is a genetically complex illness thought to involve multiple genes each contributing a small risk. Large genome-wide association studies identified miR-137, a miRNA shown to be involved in neuronal maturation, as one of the top risk genes. To assess the potential mechanism of impact of miR-137 in this disorder and identify its targets, we used a combination of literature searches, ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA), and freely accessible bioinformatics resources. Using TargetScan and the schizophrenia gene resource (SZGR) database, we found that in addition to CSMD1, C10orf26, CACNA1C, TCF4, and ZNF804A, five schizophrenia risk genes whose transcripts are also validated miR-137 targets, there are other schizophrenia-associated genes that may be targets of miR-137, including ERBB4, GABRA1, GRIN2A, GRM5, GSK3B, NRG2, and HTR2C. IPA analyses of all the potential targets identified several nervous system (NS) functions as the top canonical pathways including synaptic long-term potentiation, a process implicated in learning and memory mechanisms and recently shown to be altered in patients with schizophrenia. Among the subset of targets involved in NS development and function, the top scoring pathways were ephrin receptor signaling and axonal guidance, processes that are critical for proper circuitry formation and were shown to be disrupted in schizophrenia. These results suggest that miR-137 may indeed play a substantial role in the genetic etiology of schizophrenia by regulating networks involved in neural development and brain function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carrie Wright
- Department of Neurosciences, Health Sciences Center, University of New MexicoAlbuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Jessica A. Turner
- The Mind Research NetworkAlbuquerque, NM, USA
- Psychology Department, University of New MexicoAlbuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Vince D. Calhoun
- The Mind Research NetworkAlbuquerque, NM, USA
- Psychology Department, University of New MexicoAlbuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Nora Perrone-Bizzozero
- Department of Neurosciences, Health Sciences Center, University of New MexicoAlbuquerque, NM, USA
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