Paternal age at birth and high-functioning autistic-spectrum disorder in offspring
Open Access
- 1 October 2008
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Royal College of Psychiatrists in The British Journal of Psychiatry
- Vol. 193 (4), 316-321
- https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.107.045120
Abstract
Background: Previous studies have reported the association between advanced paternal age at birth and the risk of autistic-spectrum disorder in offspring, including offspring with intellectual disability.Aims: To test whether an association between advanced paternal age at birth is found in offspring with high-functioning autistic-spectrum disorder (i.e. offspring without intellectual disability).Method: A case–control study was conducted in Japan. The participants consisted of individuals with full-scale IQ ⩾ 70, with a DSM–IV autistic disorder or related diagnosis. Unrelated healthy volunteers were recruited as controls. Parental ages were divided into tertiles (i.e. three age classes). Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated using logistic regression analyses, with an adjustment for age, gender and birth order.Results: Eighty-four individuals with autistic-spectrum disorder but without intellectual disability and 208 healthy controls were enrolled. Increased paternal, but not maternal, age was associated with an elevated risk of high-functioning autistic-spectrum disorder. A one-level advance in paternal age class corresponded to a 1.8-fold increase in risk, after adjustment for covariates.Conclusions: Advanced paternal age is associated with an increased risk for high-functioning autistic-spectrum disorder.Keywords
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