The age of a child's father at the time of conception may be associated with a risk of schizophrenia in the future, according to a new study. Researchers from Columbia University examined records of nearly 88,000 people born in Jerusalem between 1964 and 1976. More than 1,300 were admitted to psychiatric institutions before 1998 and 658 were diagnosed with schizophrenia or a similar psychoses.
Researchers investigate whether the risk of schizophrenia increased as paternal age increased.
Researchers found the age of one's father at the time of conception was a significant predictor of a future schizophrenia diagnoses for the patient, but was not a predictor for other psychiatric disorders. This predictor was true even after considering the mother's age and other factors. Researchers say after men reach the age of 25, the risk of schizophrenia in their offspring increases every 5 years. Researchers hope this research will help identify genes involved in schizophrenia. The research is published in the most recent issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry .