Children born to fathers older than 30 are more likely to develop bipolar disorder

Older dads boost kids' bipolar risk
Michael Kahn, Reuters
Published: Thursday, September 25, 2008
Children born to fathers older than 30 are more likely to develop bipolar disorder, a common condition sometimes known as manic depression, researchers reported this week.

The paternal risk also grows with the age of a father, rising to 37 per cent by the time a man is 55 years, said Emma Frans, an epidemiologist at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, who led the study.

The brain disorder causes extreme shifts in mood, energy and ability to function. It is marked by high periods of elation or irritability and low periods of sadness and hopelessness that can last months.
The findings bolster evidence that children of older fathers are at higher risk of psychological conditions such as bipolar disorder, autism and schizophrenia, the researchers said.

One explanation could be that a man's degraded sperm quality as he ages could increase the likelihood of genetic mutations that may lead to bipolar disorder, Frans said.

The findings are another step toward unravelling the mystery of how the condition affecting an estimated one to three per cent of adults worldwide arises, the researchers said.

Last month, an international research team linked two genetic variants to an increased risk for the disease, which often runs in families.

Researchers found children born to fathers older than 30 had an 11 per cent higher risk of developing bipolar disorder compared to younger fathers.




© The Windsor Star 2008