Parent Age and Autism Research Insights
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that affects communication, social interaction, and behavior. While the exact cause of ASD is unknown, research has identified several factors that may increase the risk of developing the disorder, and one such factor is parental age. In this article, we will explore the effect of parental age on autism and summarize the findings of recent studies on this topic.
Study 1| Advanced parental age and the risk of autism spectrum disorder
This study examines the independent effects of parental age on the risk of autism spectrum disorder using data from 10 US study sites. A case-cohort design was implemented with 1,251 children identified as having autism from a birth cohort of 253,347. Results suggest that advanced parental age increases the risk of autism. Maternal and paternal age had similar effects on risk.
Parental age is independently associated with autism, with increased odds ratios for both maternal age over 35 and paternal age over 40. Firstborn offspring of two older parents have a higher risk of autism than third or later-born offspring of younger parents. The findings suggest implications for public health planning and investigations into the etiology of autism.
Study 2 | Parental age and autism severity in the Rhode Island Consortium for Autism Research and Treatment (RI-CART) study
The study investigated the relationship between parental age and autism severity in the Rhode Island Consortium for Autism Research and Treatment (RI-CART) cohort. The results suggest that advanced parental age may be associated with more severe autism symptoms. The study highlights the importance of considering parental age in autism research and clinical practice.
The study involved 1178 participants with available mother and father ages at birth. Results showed that advanced parental age at offspring birth was associated with greater autism severity. This study found that advanced parental age at birth is associated with the severity and presence of ASD in offspring, particularly with the severity of compulsions or rituals.
The age of both parents at offspring birth showed a positive and statistically significant association with overall ASD severity and the severity of restricted/repetitive behaviors. Intelligence and adaptive functioning did not moderate the relationship between parental age and ASD severity. Fathers of children with ASD were also found to be 1.6 years older at the time of birth than fathers of children without ASD.
Study 3 | Advanced parental age and autism risk in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis
This article reports a meta-analysis of observational studies investigating the association between advanced parental age and the risk of autism in offspring. The study found a significant association between advanced parental age and increased risk of autism in children.
The risk of autism was higher in children born to fathers over 35 years old and mothers over 30 years old. The study suggests that advanced parental age may be a risk factor for autism and highlights the importance of genetic counseling for older parents. The study found that the highest parental age category was associated with an increased risk of autism in the offspring. The lowest parental age category was associated with a reduced risk of autism in the offspring. An increase of 10 years in maternal and paternal age was associated with an 18% and 21% higher risk of autism.
Study 4 | Advanced parental age and the risk of autism spectrum disorder
The study examines the effect of parental age on autism and autism-related outcomes in children at high familial risk for autism. This study published in 2020, study found that advanced parental age was associated with increased autism symptom severity and lower adaptive functioning in the children. The study noted a positive association between paternal age and the risk of ASD in children, but no significant association with maternal age. The study also found that the risk of ASD was higher in children born to parents of different races/ethnicities.
Results showed that advanced parental age was associated with higher education and increased risk of ASD diagnosis, and poorer developmental outcomes. The mean maternal and paternal ages in the study were 34 and 36 years, respectively. There was a significant increase in odds of ASD in association with lower paternal age. When both parents were young (<30) or both were older (≥35 for mothers and ≥40 for fathers), there were no significant increases in risk.
Parental age and offspring’s neurodevelopmental outcomes were also associated with age. Maternal age was associated with a decrease in adaptive functioning, while older maternal and paternal age were associated with higher cognitive functioning. Having both parents under 30 was associated with a significant decrease in offspring cognitive scores.
The overwhelming majority of prior research suggests increased risk of ASD with advanced maternal and paternal age, but this study did not observe significant associations with increasing ASD-related outcomes and advanced parental age. However, younger paternal age was associated with an increased risk of ASD while maternal age has no significant effect. There is also an increased risk of autism in children of parents who are both under 30 years old. The study finds that these findings differ from previous general population studies on parental age and autism risk.
Mechanisms underlying the parental age-ASD association are not well understood, but epigenetic modification, DNA damage due to aging, and social determinants of reproductive age are suspected.
Conclusion
Parental age is one of several factors that may contribute to the development of autism. While advanced maternal and paternal age have been found to be risk factors for autism, it’s important to note that autism is a complex disorder influenced by a variety of factors. If you’re concerned about your child’s development, it’s important to talk to your doctor. Early intervention can make a big difference in the lives of children with autism. Further research is needed to fully understand the relationship between parental age and autism, and to develop effective interventions to reduce the risk of autism in children born to older parents.
