Links Found Between Age And Lifestyle Of Fathers And Birth Defects: Study
The health and lifestyle choices not just of mothers, but even fathers tend to affect their children. In a new study by Georgetown University researchers, it was shown that paternal influence is stronger than believed. Everything from a father's drinking habits to age can have an effect on the development of birth defects as well as gene expression among their children.
Hence, even obesity among fathers tends to influence the obesity of sons.
"This new field of inherited paternal epigenetics needs to be organized into clinically applicable recommendations and lifestyle alternations," said Janna Kitlinska of Georgetown University and senior author of the study. "And to really understand the epigenetic influences of a child, we need to study the interplay between maternal and paternal effects, as opposed to considering each in isolation."
Examining more than 50 cases of humans and animals, the study looked at the links between the health of fathers and its relationship with heritable epigenetic programming. A number of links were found, such as advanced age to schizophrenia; autism and birth defects; alcoholism with lower birth weight; and psychosocial stress with some behavioural problems.
"We know the nutritional, hormonal and psychological environment provided by the mother permanently alters organ structure, cellular response and gene expression in her offspring," Kitlinska said. "But our study shows the same thing to be true with fathers - his lifestyle, and how old he is, can be reflected in molecules that control gene function. In this way, a father can affect not only his immediate offspring, but future generations as well."
However, though the link has been shown between the health of fathers and birth defects as well as disabilities, the effect has not been found to be "causal." More research is needed in order to understand the links and suggest improvements in the offspring.
The findings were published online May 15 in the American Journal of Stem Cells.
