RE: [MLUG - DISCUSSION] speaking of apocalyptic horsemen...

[Mike Miller <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

On Tue, 1 Apr 2003, Matthew Ross wrote:

> Jennifer Dozar wrote:
> > I suspect also, the fact that more educated and intelligent women are
> > waiting later, the time they opt to have children is usually way later
> > and age actually can affect how the child is formed and carried, etc.
> > So that could give a good thought on why geeks tend to have more
> > asperger's syndrome.  I do believe schizophrenia is rather high on
> > that list of possibly disorders for geek parents. Doesn't mean it will
> > happen. Schizophrenia is also genetic...
>
> Why would bad recessives show up more later in life? That might make an
> interesting study.. Or am I mistaken about aspergers syndrome being
> attributed to a recessive?

Maternal age is strongly positively associated with risk chromosomal
problems (e.g., Down syndrome).  Paternal age is related to risk of
dominant genetic diseases (e.g., achondroplasic dwarfism).  Autism is
associated with chromosomal problems (e.g., deletions), but it is *very*
heterogeneous such that there are many different causes of autism and many
different types of autism (these types have not been very clearly
delineated and agreed upon yet yet, but it is certain they exist).  So,
Jennifer is right to consider the possibility that maternal age is
important in autism.  There must be some data out there on maternal age in
autism, but I haven't read the papers.


> IIRC, Schizophrenia can also be caused by stressful situations, parents
> who are too smart to let you get away with anything might be such a
> case. ;-)

There may be some effect of 'stress', but genetics, birth trauma and viral
infections are all clearly important.

Mike
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