Opposite differential risks for autism and schizophrenia based on maternal age, paternal age, and parental age differences.

ABSTRACT:

Background and objectives

Effects of maternal and paternal age on offspring autism and schizophrenia risks have been studied for over three decades, but inconsistent risks have often been found, precluding well-informed speculation on why these age-related risks might exist.

Methodology

To help clarify this situation we analysed a massive single population sample from Denmark including the full spectrum of autistic and schizophrenic disorders (eliminating between-study confounding), used up to 30 follow-up years, controlled for over 20 potentially confounding factors and interpret the ultimate causation of the observed risk patterns using generally accepted principles of parent-offspring conflict and life-history theory.

Results

We evaluated the effects of paternal ag

SUBMITTER: Byars SG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5026125 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature