CHICAGO (AP) Children born to older fathers face a greater
chance of developing bipolar disorder, according to one of the
largest studies linking mental illness with advanced paternal
age. Previous research has connected schizophrenia and autism
with older dads, and a Danish study published last year added
bipolar disorder to the list. The new study led by researchers
at Sweden's Karolinska Institute strengthens the evidence.
HEALTH BLOG: Babies of depressed moms lack sleep rhythm The
leading theory is that older men's sperm may be more likely to
develop mutations. Even so, the odds of a person becoming
bipolar are so low that the study's authors said it shouldn't
dissuade older men from becoming fathers. Researchers analyzed
Swedish national registry data from more than 80,000 people,
including 13,428 with bipolar disorder who were born between
1932 and 1991. The risks started increasing around age 40 but
were strongest among those 55 and older. Children born to these
dads were 37% more likely to develop bip