Covid-19 Infection in Fathers May Alter Sperm and Increase Anxiety Risk in Offspring: Study

New Delhi – A new study has found that Covid-19 infection in fathers prior to conception may cause changes in their sperm that could affect brain development and behavior in their children, potentially increasing the risk of anxiety in future generations.

The research, published in Nature Communications, suggests that the long-term effects of the SARS-CoV-2 virus could extend beyond those directly infected, influencing the health and mental well-being of their offspring.

Earlier studies on mice have shown that a father’s environmental and lifestyle factors—such as an unhealthy diet—can alter sperm and affect the brain development and behavior of their progeny.

“This occurs because the father’s experiences can modify the information carried in sperm, including specific RNA molecules that guide offspring development,” explained Professor Anthony Hannan of the University of Melbourne’s Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, who led the research.

In this study, male mice were infected with SARS-CoV-2 and allowed to recover before mating with healthy females. The resulting offspring exhibited significantly more anxiety-related behaviors compared to those born to uninfected fathers.

All offspring of the previously infected males showed heightened anxiety-like traits, and female offspring in particular displayed altered gene activity in the hippocampus — a brain region critical for mood regulation, anxiety, and depression.

“These changes in the hippocampus and other brain regions may underlie the increased anxiety we observed, driven by epigenetic inheritance and disrupted brain development,” said co-author Dr. Carolina Gubert.

Further examination revealed that the infected fathers’ sperm had altered RNA molecules, including those linked to genes vital for brain formation and function.

“If these results hold true in humans, the implications are enormous,” Hannan warned. “Millions of children and families around the world could be affected, underscoring the urgent need for further investigation.”

With inputs from IANS