Greater rates of mitochondrial mutations discovered in children born to older mothers
Tuesday, October 14, 2014 - 12:01
in Health & Medicine
The discovery of a 'maternal age effect' could be used to predict the accumulation of mitochondrial DNA mutations in maternal egg cells -- and the transmission of these mutations to children. These mutations cause more than 200 diseases and contribute to others such as diabetes, cancer, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease.