A new research paper was published in Volume 17, Issue 12 of Aging-US on December 29, 2025, titled “Age-specific DNA methylation alterations in sperm at imprint control regions may contribute to the risk of autism spectrum disorder in offspring.”
The study – selected as our Editors’ Choice for January, 2026 – was led by first authors Eugenia Casella and Jana Depovere, with corresponding author Adelheid Soubry from the University of Leuven. The research shows that a man’s age is linked to specific changes in sperm DNA that may influence early development in children. These findings are relevant as autism diagnoses have increased while many men are becoming fathers later in life.
Autism spectrum disorder is a growing public health concern affecting millions of families worldwide. The study…