Father’s Age Influences Offspring’s Anxiety

Mouse pups born to older fathers show signs of hyperactivity, researchers say.

AsianScientist (Dec. 13, 2016) – In a study published in PLOS ONE, researchers have found that sperm from older mice resulted in pups that showed more symptoms of anxiety.

The team from Tohoku University and RIKEN conducted comprehensive behavioral analyses on how paternal age influences the behavior of offspring that inherit a genetic risk factor for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Pax6.

To minimize the physical influence of the father, male mice were isolated and in vitro fertilization was used to impregnate the female. The researchers found that the offspring of young fathers exhibited impaired vocal communication, while the offspring of older fathers exhibited hyperlocomotion.

For researchers working on animal models, these results show that the age of male mice can influence the behavior of the offspring, so this should be a consideration when they are used to mate. The research also suggests that paternal aging may exacerbate genetic risks, potentially explaining why there has been a rapid rise in the number of children with ASD or attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder.


The article can be found at: Yoshizaki et al. (2016) Paternal Aging Affects Behavior in Pax6 Mutant Mice: A Gene/environmental Interaction in Understanding Neurodevelopmental Disorders..

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Source: Tohoku University; Photo: Shutterstock.
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