Parental age

Recent articles

A man looks out the window

New estimate suggests most autistic adults in England lack a formal diagnosis

The finding underscores a need for adult autism diagnostic services.

By Emmet Fraizer
9 June 2023 | 2 min read
circuit board style lines in black and white suggest sperm approaching an egg.

Mutations linked to autism may be detectable in men’s sperm

An advanced DNA-sequencing technique has identified gene-damaging mutations, some with ties to autism, in about 1 in 15 men.

By Emma Yasinski
16 September 2021 | 5 min read
Mature dad and his daughter plays with blocks

Parental age plays small role in large mutations tied to autism

Most of the large, spontaneous genetic mutations tied to autism are passed down from fathers. But, unlike with smaller mutations, a parent's age is unlikely to up the rate at which they occur.

By Laura Dattaro
26 October 2020 | 4 min read
Young boy is interacting with a small rubbery green colored robot through a touch screen.

How autism researchers are applying machine-learning techniques

Researchers are using machine learning to improve diagnostic predictions of autism, create interactive support robots, and more.

By Laura Dattaro
25 March 2020 | 4 min read
stork flying with an alarm clock, dice and a crescent moon

The link between parental age and autism, explained

Older men and women are more likely than young ones to have a child with autism, but this connection is not straightforward.

By Sarah DeWeerdt
28 January 2020 | 6 min read
Older father carries son in reed baseball cap

Mutations in sperm may accrue too slowly to increase autism risk

A new analysis challenges the idea that mutations in the sperm of older fathers lead to higher rates of autism among their children.

By Polina Porotskaya
5 September 2019 | 4 min read

New maps plot hot spots of diversity across human genome

A pair of maps that depict variation in the human genome may help reveal the genetic roots of autism.

By Chloe Williams
29 March 2019 | 3 min read

Ultrasound exposure; maternal age; ‘special’ interests and more

Autism is not associated with ultrasound frequency or duration, maternal age and education affect autism odds, and people on the spectrum benefit from their ‘special interests.’

By Emily Willingham
16 February 2018 | 4 min read

Genetics do-over; iffy influences; high-tech education and more

A re-analysis of data yields an increased estimate for the genetic contribution to autism, how the environment might contribute to autism is hard to pin down, and students on the spectrum describe the benefits of using technology at school.

By Emily Willingham
29 September 2017 | 5 min read

Parental age ups rate of new mutations passed to children

Men and women both transmit an increasing number of new mutations to their children as they age.

By Alla Katsnelson
20 September 2017 | 5 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

ABCD Study omits gender-identity data from latest release

The removal counteracts the goals of the longitudinal study by “pretending that some aspects of adolescent brain development don’t exist,” says sex differences researcher Nicola Grissom.

By Calli McMurray
11 July 2025 | 4 min read
Leafcutter ants carrying leaves.

Neuropeptides reprogram social roles in leafcutter ants

The mechanisms that control the labor roles of ants may also be conserved in naked mole rats, a new study shows.

By Shaena Montanari
11 July 2025 | 7 min listen
Illustration of overlapping, multi-colored human head silhouettes.

Perspectives from the field: Opinions in autism research

This collection of Spectrum articles from the past 12 months highlights expert perspectives on autism’s heritability and its link to biological sex, the value of transdiagnostic frameworks, and the field’s future, among other topics.

By Daisy Yuhas
10 July 2025 | 3 min read