Neurodevelopmental outcome in offspring conceived by parents at advanced parental age

ended

In current society, a growing number of individuals is affected by mental disorders, thus representing a burden with significant health, social and economic consequences. Notwithstanding, the ethiology of mental disorders is still not fully understood, there is a growing evidence that current trend to delay first childbirth above age of 35 is a factor of risk for the onset of mental disorders (i.e. autism, schizophrenia) in resulting offspring. This “new” reproductive trend, caused by social and economic factors, has already allowed the birth of millions of babies worldwide. In the last decade, epidemiological studies have suggested that children conceived at advanced maternal age are at higher risk of autism spectrum disorders as well as psychotic and/or bipolar disorder and those conceived at advanced paternal age at higher risk of autism and schizophrenia. However, data from population-based investigation are often controversial, due to several confounding factors (i.e. health, socio-economic status, lifestyle), and information from animal studies are still limited. In this context, the assessment of neurological and/or psychiatric health of offspring conceived at advanced parental age (APA) is urgently needed. Moreover, understanding the mechanism(s) behind increased risk of mental affliction (i.e. autism and/or schizophrenia) will contribute to the identification of novel marker for neurologic/psychiatric disorders with a significant impact on basic science, society and health care services.“NeuroAPA” aims to identify structural and functional abnormalities in adult brain which may contribute to the increased risk of psychiatric disorders (i.e. autism, schizophrenia) in offspring conceived by parents at advanced parental age.