Maternal age and infantile autism.

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Developmental Neuroscience
• Pediatric Psychiatry

Background:

• Childhood psychosis, including infantile autism, presents a significant public health concern.
• Understanding etiological factors is crucial for early intervention and prevention strategies.
• Previous research suggests potential links between parental age and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of infantile autism in a defined population.
• To explore the association between parental age and the risk of infantile autism.
• To identify demographic characteristics of families affected by childhood autism.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a total population survey in the Göteborg region to identify cases of childhood psychosis.
• Utilized Rutter's diagnostic criteria for infantile autism.
• Compared demographic data, specifically parental age, between autistic children and the general population.

Main Results:

• Identified 20 children meeting criteria for infantile autism (prevalence of 2 per 10,000).
• Observed a male preponderance (15 boys, 5 girls).
• Found significantly higher mean maternal age (30.7 years) in the autistic sample compared to the general population (26.0 years), with a strong trend of increasing autism risk with advancing maternal age. Fathers were also older than average.

Conclusions:

• Advanced maternal age is a statistically significant risk factor for infantile autism.
• Parental age, particularly maternal age, should be considered in etiological models of autism.
• Further research is warranted to elucidate the mechanisms linking parental age and autism.