Mutation in father's sperm can predict the risk of autism in children

Mutation in a father's sperm can predict the risk of diagnosing a child with autism syndrome, according to a new study. The genetic mutations known as de novo] can appear in a child's DNA through problems with sperm production.

Researchers found that 15 percent of men with autical children had mutations that cause disease in their sperm. The team from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, says fathers have examined their sperm to determine the risk their future children may face affected by development disorder.

The regulation of the austic spectrum (ASD) is a development disorder in which the sick have a communication and behavioral difficulty.

The diagnosis includes autism and Asperger syndrome, whose symptoms may be from the softest to the worst. Children are usually diagnosed by two years of age after displaying signs such as eye contact, not responding to their name, and performing repeated movements.

Boys are more likely, a probability of up to four times higher than girls. Despite decades of research, the causes of the ASD remain a mystery. Both genetics and environmental factors are believed to play a role.

However, recent studies have suggested that mutations “De novo” may be the cause of between 10 and 30 percent of ASD cases. These mutations occur for the first time in a family member as a result of mutation in a parent's sperm or egg.

For the study, published in Nature Medicine magazine, the team saw the sperm of eight fathers who already had children diagnosed with the ASD. Sperma was analyzed to understand why a person has genetically different cells inside their body.