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Willführ KP, Klüsener S. The current 'dramatically' high paternal ages at childbirth are not unprecedented. Hum Reprod 2024; 39:1161-1166. [PMID: 38569672 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deae067] [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: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
There is strong individual-level evidence that late fatherhood is related to a wide range of health disorders and conditions in offspring. Over the last decades, mean paternal ages at childbirth have risen drastically. This has alarmed researchers from a wide range of fields. However, existing studies have an important shortcoming in that they lack a long-term perspective. This article is a step change in providing such a long-term perspective. We unveil that in many countries the current mean paternal ages at childbirth and proportions of fathers of advanced age at childbirth are not unprecedented. Taking the detected U-shaped trend pattern into account, we discuss individual- and population-level implications of the recent increases in paternal ages at childbirth and highlight important knowledge gaps. At the individual level, some of the biological mechanisms that are responsible for the paternal age-related health risk might, at least to some degree, be counterbalanced by various social factors. Further, how these individual-level effects are linked to population health and human cognitive development might be influenced by various factors, including technical advances and regulations in prenatal diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai P Willführ
- Institute for Social Sciences, School of Educational and Social Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg, Germany
- Center for Economic Demography, Department of Economic History, Lund University, Sweden
| | - Sebastian Klüsener
- Ageing, Mortality and Population Dynamics, Federal Institute for Population Research (BiB), Wiesbaden, Germany
- Institute of Sociology and Social Psychology (ISS), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Centre for Demographic Research, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania
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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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Gourinat A, Mazeaud C, Hubert J, Eschwege P, Koscinski I. Impact of paternal age on assisted reproductive technology outcomes and offspring health: a systematic review. Andrology 2023; 11:973-986. [PMID: 36640151 DOI: 10.1111/andr.13385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The increase in paternal age and the percentage of births after assisted reproductive technologies (ART) may have consequences on offspring and society's position regarding access to ART must be questioned. Most countries recommend limiting ART to men under 60 years. What is the rationale for this threshold? OBJECTIVE This systematic review assesses scientific arguments to establish links between paternal age, male fertility, and offspring health. MATERIAL AND METHODS Using the PRISMA guidelines, this systematic review of the literature analyzed 111 articles selected after screening PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science for articles published between January 1, 1995 and December 31, 2021. RESULTS A strong correlation was highlighted between advanced paternal age and a decrease of some sperm parameters (semen volume and sperm motility) and infant morbidity (exponentially increased incidence of achondroplasia and Apert syndrome, and more moderately increased incidence of autism and schizophrenia). The impact of paternal age on pregnancy and fetal aneuploidy rates is more controversial. No association was found with spontaneous abortion rates. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION The scientific parameters should be explained to older parents undergoing ART. And for countries that discuss a limit on paternal age for access to ART, the debate requires consideration of social and ethical arguments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jacques Hubert
- Department of Urology, University Hospital, Nancy, France
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Wang M. Estimating the parental age effect on intelligence with controlling for confounding effects from genotypic differences. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2023.112137] [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: 03/06/2023]
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Novaes FC, Natividade JC. The sexual selection of creativity: A nomological approach. Front Psychol 2023; 13:874261. [PMID: 36698589 PMCID: PMC9869285 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.874261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Cultural innovations, such as tools and other technical articles useful for survival, imply that creativity is an outcome of evolution. However, the existence of purely ornamental items obfuscates the functional value of creativity. What is the functional or adaptive value of aesthetic and intellectual ornaments? Recent evidence shows a connection between ornamental creativity, an individual's attractiveness, and their reproductive success. However, this association is not sufficient for establishing that creativity in humans evolved by sexual selection. In this critical review, we synthesize findings from many disciplines about the mechanisms, ontogeny, phylogeny, and the function of creativity in sexual selection. Existing research indicates that creativity has the characteristics expected of a trait evolved by sexual selection: genetic basis, sexual dimorphism, wider variety in males, influence of sex hormones, dysfunctional expressions, an advantage in mating in humans and other animals, and psychological modules adapted to mating contexts. Future studies should investigate mixed findings in the existing literature, such as creativity not being found particularly attractive in a non-WEIRD society. Moreover, we identified remaining knowledge gaps and recommend that further research should be undertaken in the following areas: sexual and reproductive correlates of creativity in non-WEIRD societies, relationship between androgens, development, and creative expression, as well as the impact of ornamental, technical and everyday creativity on attractiveness. Evolutionary research should analyze whether being an evolved signal of genetic quality is the only way in which creativity becomes sexually selected and therefore passed on from generation to generation. This review has gone a long way toward integrating and enhancing our understanding of ornamental creativity as a possible sexual selected psychological trait.
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Couture V, Delisle S, Mercier A, Pennings G. The other face of advanced paternal age: a scoping review of its terminological, social, public health, psychological, ethical and regulatory aspects. Hum Reprod Update 2020; 27:305-323. [PMID: 33201989 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmaa046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is a global tendency for parents to conceive children later in life. The maternal dimension of the postponement transition has been thoroughly studied, but interest in the paternal side is more recent. For the moment, most literature reviews on the topic have focused on the consequences of advanced paternal age (APA) on fertility, pregnancy and the health of the child. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE The present review seeks to move the focus away from the biological and medical dimensions of APA and synthesise the knowledge of the other face of APA. SEARCH METHODS We used the scoping review methodology. Searches of interdisciplinary articles databases were performed with keywords pertaining to APA and its dimensions outside of biology and medicine. We included scientific articles, original research, essays, commentaries and editorials in the sample. The final sample of 177 documents was analysed with qualitative thematic analysis. OUTCOMES We identified six themes highlighting the interdisciplinary nature of APA research. The 'terminological aspects' highlight the lack of consensus on the definition of APA and the strategies developed to offer alternatives. The 'social aspects' focus on the postponement transition towards reproducing later in life and its cultural dimensions. The 'public health aspects' refer to attempts to analyse APA as a problem with wider health and economic implications. The 'psychological aspects' focus on the consequences of APA and older fatherhood on psychological characteristics of the child. The 'ethical aspects' reflect on issues of APA emerging at the intersection of parental autonomy, children's welfare and social responsibility. The 'regulatory aspects' group different suggestions to collectively approach the implications of APA. Our results show that the field of APA is still in the making and that evidence is lacking to fully address the issues of APA. The review suggests promising avenues of research such as introducing the voice of fathers of advanced age into the research agenda. WIDER IMPLICATIONS The results of this review will be useful for developing policies and preconception health interventions that consider and include prospective fathers of advanced age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Couture
- Faculty of Nursing, Université Laval, Québec G1V 0A6, Canada.,Research Center of the CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec G1L 3L5, Canada
| | - Stéphane Delisle
- Research Center of the CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec G1L 3L5, Canada
| | - Alexis Mercier
- Faculty of Nursing, Université Laval, Québec G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Guido Pennings
- Department of Philosophy and Moral Sciences, Bioethics Institute Ghent, Ghent University, Gent 9000, Belgium
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Halvaei I, Litzky J, Esfandiari N. Advanced paternal age: effects on sperm parameters, assisted reproduction outcomes and offspring health. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2020; 18:110. [PMID: 33183337 PMCID: PMC7664076 DOI: 10.1186/s12958-020-00668-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Many factors, including postponement of marriage, increased life expectancy, and improved success with assisted reproductive technologies have been contributing to increased paternal age in developed nations. This increased average paternal age has led to concerns about adverse effects of advanced paternal age on sperm quality, assisted reproductive outcomes, and the health of the offspring conceived by older fathers. This review discusses the association between advanced paternal age and sperm parameters, assisted reproduction success rates, and offspring health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iman Halvaei
- Department of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Julia Litzky
- Department of Pediatrics, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH, USA
| | - Navid Esfandiari
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Vermont Medical Center, Larner College of Medicine, 111 Colchester Ave, Burlington, VT, 05401, USA.
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Lyall K, Song L, Botteron K, Croen LA, Dager SR, Fallin MD, Hazlett HC, Kauffman E, Landa R, Ladd-Acosta C, Messinger DS, Ozonoff S, Pandey J, Piven J, Schmidt RJ, Schultz RT, Stone WL, Newschaffer CJ, Volk HE. The Association Between Parental Age and Autism-Related Outcomes in Children at High Familial Risk for Autism. Autism Res 2020; 13:998-1010. [PMID: 32314879 PMCID: PMC7396152 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Revised: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Advanced parental age is a well-replicated risk factor for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental condition with a complex and not well-defined etiology. We sought to determine parental age associations with ASD-related outcomes in subjects at high familial risk for ASD. A total of 397 younger siblings of a child with ASD, drawn from existing prospective high familial risk cohorts, were included in these analyses. Overall, we did not observe significant associations of advanced parental age with clinical ASD diagnosis, Social Responsiveness Scale, or Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales scores. Instead, increased odds of ASD were found with paternal age < 30 years (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.83 and 95% confidence intervals [CI] = 1.14-7.02). Likewise, younger age (<30 years) for both parents was associated with decreases in Mullen Scales of Early Learning early learning composite (MSEL-ELC) scores (adjusted β = -9.62, 95% CI = -17.1 to -2.15). We also found significant increases in cognitive functioning based on MSEL-ELC scores with increasing paternal age (adjusted β associated with a 10-year increase in paternal age = 5.51, 95% CI = 0.70-10.3). Results suggest the potential for a different relationship between parental age and ASD-related outcomes in families with elevated ASD risk than has been observed in general population samples. Autism Res 2020, 13: 998-1010. © 2020 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: Previous work suggests that older parents have a greater likelihood of having a child with autism. We investigated this relationship in the younger siblings of families who already had a child with autism. In this setting, we found a higher likelihood of autism, as well as poorer cognitive scores, in the siblings with younger fathers, and higher cognitive scores in the siblings with older parents. These results suggest that parental age associations may differ based on children's familial risk for autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen Lyall
- AJ Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Lanxin Song
- Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Kelly Botteron
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University, St Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Lisa A Croen
- Kaiser Permanente Division of Research, Oakland, California, USA
| | - Stephen R Dager
- Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - M Daniele Fallin
- Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Heather C Hazlett
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Elizabeth Kauffman
- AJ Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Rebecca Landa
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Christine Ladd-Acosta
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Sally Ozonoff
- MIND Institute, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Juhi Pandey
- Center for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Joseph Piven
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Rebecca J Schmidt
- Department of Public Health, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA
- MIND Institute, University of California Davis, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Robert T Schultz
- Center for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Wendy L Stone
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Craig J Newschaffer
- College of Health and Human Development, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Heather E Volk
- Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Veldkamp SAM, Zondervan-Zwijnenburg MAJ, van Bergen E, Barzeva SA, Tamayo-Martinez N, Becht AI, van Beijsterveldt CEM, Meeus W, Branje S, Hillegers MHJ, Oldehinkel AJ, Hoijtink HJA, Boomsma DI, Hartman C. Parental Age in Relation to Offspring's Neurodevelopment. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGY 2020; 50:632-644. [PMID: 32420762 DOI: 10.1080/15374416.2020.1756298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Objective: Advanced parenthood increases the risk of severe neurodevelopmental disorders like autism, Down syndrome and schizophrenia. Does advanced parenthood also negatively impact offspring's general neurodevelopment?Method: We analyzed child-, father-, mother- and teacher-rated attention-problems (N = 38,024), and standardized measures of intelligence (N = 10,273) and educational achievement (N = 17,522) of children from four Dutch population-based cohorts. The mean age over cohorts varied from 9.73-13.03. Most participants were of Dutch origin, ranging from 58.7%-96.7% over cohorts. We analyzed 50% of the data to generate hypotheses and the other 50% to evaluate support for these hypotheses. We aggregated the results over cohorts with Bayesian research synthesis.Results: We mostly found negative linear relations between parental age and attention-problems, meaning that offspring of younger parents tended to have more attention problems. Maternal age was positively and linearly related to offspring's IQ and educational achievement. Paternal age showed an attenuating positive relation with educational achievement and an inverted U-shape relation with IQ, with offspring of younger and older fathers at a disadvantage. Only the associations with maternal age remained after including SES. The inclusion of child gender in the model did not affect the relation between parental age and the study outcomes.Conclusions: Effects were small but significant, with better outcomes for children born to older parents. Older parents tended to be of higher SES. Indeed, the positive relation between parental age and offspring neurodevelopmental outcomes was partly confounded by SES.
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Affiliation(s)
- S A M Veldkamp
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
| | | | - Elsje van Bergen
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
| | - S A Barzeva
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen
| | - N Tamayo-Martinez
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Center
| | - A I Becht
- Department of Youth & Family, Utrecht University.,Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam
| | | | - W Meeus
- Department of Youth & Family, Utrecht University
| | - S Branje
- Department of Youth & Family, Utrecht University
| | - M H J Hillegers
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Center
| | - A J Oldehinkel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen
| | - H J A Hoijtink
- Department of Methodology & Statistics, Utrecht University
| | - D I Boomsma
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
| | - C Hartman
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen
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Flensborg-Madsen T, Falgreen Eriksen HL, Mortensen EL. Early life predictors of intelligence in young adulthood and middle age. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0228144. [PMID: 31990952 PMCID: PMC6986721 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0228144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies on early predictors of intelligence often focus on single or few predictors and often on childhood intelligence. This study compared the contributions of a broad selection of potential early predictors of intelligence at different adult ages. METHODS Information on predictors was recorded prospectively in the Copenhagen Perinatal Cohort during pregnancy, at delivery, and at 1- and 3-year examinations for children born between 1959-61. Adult intelligence was assessed at three independent follow-ups using three different tests of intelligence: Børge Priens Prøve, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, and Intelligenz-Struktur-Test 2000R. From a total of 4697 cohort members, three non-overlapping samples were derived. RESULTS The included predictors explained between 22.2-24.3% of the variance in adult IQ, with parental socioeconomic status and sex explaining 16.2-17.0%. Other consistent predictors were head circumference at birth, increase in head circumference head during the first three years, and 3-year milestones. Head circumference was the most important anthropometric measure compared to measures of weight and length. CONCLUSION Besides social status and sex, the strongest and most consistent early predictors of adult intelligence were physical or behavioural characteristics that to some extent reflect brain-and cognitive development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trine Flensborg-Madsen
- Unit of Medical Psychology, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Center for Healthy Aging, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Erik Lykke Mortensen
- Unit of Medical Psychology, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Center for Healthy Aging, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW In many countries, the average age of paternity is rising. The negative effect of older age on fertility in women is well documented; however, less is known about the impact of paternal age on fecundity. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of how paternal age affects semen parameters, reproductive success, and offspring health. RECENT FINDINGS Contemporary evidence confirms that aged men have worse semen parameters, including overall negative changes in sperm genetics. Reproductive outcomes with unassisted pregnancy tend to be worse with older fathers. While most current studies of assisted pregnancy do show a negative effect of paternal age, there are some conflicting results. Studies continue to show an overall increased risk of health problems, particularly neuropsychiatric conditions, in the offspring of older men. While men can often maintain fertility potential throughout a lifetime, increasing evidence indicates worsening of semen parameters, including sperm genetics, and potentially worse reproductive success. Older men should also be counseled on their offspring's possible increased risk of certain medical conditions.
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