Khaberni - A new study has found that a father’s age adds a genetic risk, although the overall likelihood of genetic mutations remains low for most families.
The study's analyses at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, involving participants aged between 24 and 74, revealed that between 3% and 5% of sperm cells in middle-aged and elderly men carry mutations linked to developmental disorders or childhood cancers.
According to "Study Finds," the mutation rate increases with age due to competition between stem cells in the testes, and this form of cellular competition gives some harmful mutations a survival advantage, hence the risk increases.
Increased mutation rate
The researchers found that about 2% of the sperm from men around age 30 carry a mutation that could cause disease if it results in a pregnancy. By age 70, this percentage rises to about 4.5%. The research team identified 40 genes where these mutations gain a competitive advantage, while previous research had only identified 13 such genes.
Genetic problems
Most of these 40 genes are linked to developmental disorders or childhood cancers. When children inherit mutations in these genes, they could suffer from conditions such as Noonan syndrome, Mayer syndrome, or predisposition syndromes to cancer.
Some mutations affect growth and facial characteristics. Other factors may affect heart development or cognitive functions.
Difficulty in screening
The researchers stated, "Unlike chromosomal abnormalities associated with the mother's age, which can be screened for with prenatal tests, mutations related to the father's age pose a different challenge. They are rare individually but common collectively."
This pattern makes traditional screening approaches difficult. Testing all potential mutations would be complicated and prohibitively expensive. These mutations are so rare that most are not detected even with advanced testing.
