Paternal Age and Epilepsy in the Offspring

Paternal Age and Epilepsy in the Offspring
Journal European Journal of Epidemiology
Publisher Springer Netherlands
ISSN 0393-2990 (Print) 1573-7284 (Online)
Issue Volume 20, Number 12 / December, 2005
Category Neurological Diseases
DOI 10.1007/s10654-005-4250-2
Pages 1003-1005
Subject Collection Medicine
SpringerLink Date Tuesday, December 06, 2005





Mogens Vestergaard1 , Alissa Mork1, 2, Kreesten M. Madsen1 and Jørn Olsen1, 3

(1) The Danish Epidemiology Science Centre, Institute of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, University of Aarhus, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
(2) Division of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
(3) Department of Epidemiology, UCLA School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1772, USA
(4) Institute of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, University of Aarhus, Vennelyst Boulevard 6, building 260, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark

Accepted: 19 October 2005

Abstract Advanced paternal age is associated with a higher rate of de novo mutation in sperm cells and mental disorders in the offspring. In a population based cohort study of 96,654 children, we found that fathers aged 35 years or more were slightly more likely to have a child diagnosed with epilepsy compared to fathers aged 25–29 years. Our data suggest a modest paternal effect on the aetiology of epilepsy.
Keywords de novo mutations - epidemiology - epilepsy - paternal age