Cory Heidaran Charitable Foundation (CHCF)’s Post

Important consideration if working with infertility to consider Adverse Childhood experiences in the history.

"Chronic stress can alter sperm DNA, affecting offspring behavior."🔎 Recent research published in #Molecular #Psychiatry, provides evidence that chronic stress can impact the #genetic material in sperm and consequently affect the behavior of offspring. The study reveals that high levels of stress hormones disrupt the long non-coding RNAs in sperm. When these altered RNAs are injected into fertilized eggs, they lead to developmental changes and behavioral alterations relevant to affective disorders such as anxiety and depression. https://lnkd.in/gV5psPFn #research #reproductivehealth #DNA #stress #RNA #behaviour #offspring Follow👉 Shubham Teli research scholar, for more such research related news🗺️

Chronic stress can alter genetic material in sperm, leading to changes in offspring behavior Recent research published in Molecular Psychiatry provides evidence that chronic stress can impact the genetic material in sperm and consequently affect the behavior of offspring. The study reveals that high levels of stress hormones disrupt the long non-coding RNAs in sperm. When these altered RNAs are injected into fertilized eggs, they lead to developmental changes and behavioral alterations relevant to affective disorders such as anxiety and depression. #MentalHealth #Genetics #ChronicStress #BehavioralHealth #Research #ScienceNews #MentalWellbeing

Recent findings from the FinnBrain study at the University of Turku highlight the potential impact of childhood maltreatment on the epigenetic profile of sperm, with implications for future generations' brain development. Published in Molecular Psychiatry, the study identifies associations between early life stress and changes in sperm epigenetics, including non-coding RNA expression and DNA methylation. These changes may influence offspring brain development, suggesting a mechanism for epigenetic inheritance. While the study is comprehensive, further research is needed to confirm these findings and explore their implications for human inheritance patterns. The study involved 55 middle-aged men, controlling for various health factors.

Childhood stress can impact the epigenetic profile of sperm. These results may also have practical implications for future generations through epigenetic inheritance, as many of the observed epigenetic associations are related to brain development. This ground-breaking discovery has been made in the FinnBrain study at the University of Turku, Finland, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Epigenetic inheritance refers to the transmission of information on acquired conditions to the next generation without it being encoded in the DNA sequence. Changes caused by the environment may therefore be passed on from generation to generation through gametes. Childhood stress may leave lasting marks on sperm, altering epigenetic profiles and potentially influencing brain development in offspring. Researchers found that men with high levels of childhood maltreatment had changes in DNA methylation and non-coding RNA levels in their sperm. These epigenetic changes could mediate how early life stress impacts the next generation, highlighting the potential for intergenerational effects. While the study demonstrates significant associations, further research is needed to confirm the role of epigenetic inheritance in humans. Key Facts Sperm Epigenetic Changes: Childhood maltreatment altered DNA methylation and non-coding RNA in sperm. Brain Development Links: These changes are associated with brain development in offspring. Intergenerational Impact: Findings suggest early life stress may influence future generations via epigenetics. https://lnkd.in/dgxiW6c7

A dad’s diet affects his sperm — and his sons’ health Mouse fathers who ate high-fat foods and human fathers with high body-mass index have male offspring with metabolic disorders. Chen says the study means that, if you make sperm, “you should eat healthy. It will affect the information carried in your sperm. It will affect your offspring”. #diet #sperm #health #metabolicdisorder #offspring #fertility #andrology #urology

Chronic stress can alter genetic material in sperm, leading to changes in offspring behavior July 5, 2024 Recent research published in Molecular Psychiatry provides evidence that chronic stress can impact the genetic material in sperm and consequently affect the behavior of offspring. High levels of stress hormones disrupt the long non-coding RNAs in sperm. These altered RNAs lead to developmental changes and behavioral alterations in the offspring relevant to affective disorders such as anxiety & depression. The researchers aimed to explore how paternal stress before conception influences the behavior of future generations. Long non-coding RNAs are longer RNA molecules, over 200 nucleotides in length, which do not code for proteins but are involved in a variety of cellular processes, including chromatin remodeling, gene expression regulation, and the modification of other RNA molecules. “Increased stress hormones causes changes to small non-coding RNAs in sperm of father mice, and changes in anxiety and social behavior in their offspring. We therefore wanted to study long non-coding RNAs and investigate whether these changes in sperm RNAs could contribute to changes in offspring brain and behavior,” explained study author Anthony Hannan of the University of Melbourne. Sperm was collected from stressed male mice with high corticosterone levels and analyzed using a technique called CaptureSeq to identify changes in the long non-coding RNAs. The long non-coding RNAs were injected from both the corticosterone-treated and control groups into fertilized mouse eggs. These eggs were then implanted into female mice to produce offspring. The offspring underwent various behavioral tests to assess anxiety, depression, social dominance, and attractiveness. The study found that exposure to corticosterone led to significant changes in the long non-coding RNAs profile of sperm. Out of 7,552 long non-coding RNAs, 2,382 were differentially expressed, with 772 being upregulated and 1,610 downregulated. When the altered long non-coding RNAs were injected into fertilized eggs, the resulting offspring exhibited notable behavioral differences suggesting increased anxiety-like as well as more depressive-like behavior & increased body weight. “These findings suggest that increased levels of stress hormone (modelling chronic stress) can cause major changes to the long non-coding RNAs in sperm, and that these changes can contribute to altered behavior in offspring,” Hannan explained. “These changes in offspring are relevant to depression and anxiety disorders. We do know that human sperm has a similar array of large non-coding RNAs. We also know that the RNA content of human sperm can be altered by environmental exposures, including stress. We urgently want to understand the mechanisms involved, both prior to and after conception.” Understanding these mechanisms could have important implications for understanding the heritability of affective disorders.

To my knowledge, this is the first time that a molecule provided by sperm is correlated to its contribution to embryo quality and clinical outcome through a quantitative approach.

Just finished teaching male repro in class. Did you know that many references indirectly indicate that males are sterile? They show each primary spermatocyte dividing and differentiating to produce 4 sperm cells (Google spermatogenesis and check the images). Not even close! Instead, each primary spermatocyte undergoes up to 9 cycles of mitosis prior to entering meiosis. This means hundreds and hundreds of sperm...not 4, from each spermatogonial division. Only with this degree of cell division can males make literally thousands of sperm per minute throughout their reproductive lifespans and remain fertile. #haps #anatomy #physiology

Male-factor infertility is solely or partially implicated in approximately 40% of infertility cases. However, it is not always easy to understand and diagnose the precise cause of the male infertility. A diagnosis of unexplained male infertility (UMI) is given when all of the patient’s test results are seemingly normal, including the semen analyses, hormone levels, and physical exam, and when female factor infertility has already been ruled out.    UMI accounts for about 15% of male infertility cases. There are several factors that may contribute to the difficulty of these couples to conceive:    1. Anti-sperm antibodies: Normally, the body’s immune system does not come into contact with sperm cells. However, if, due to infection, trauma, or an obstruction, they do, the sperm cells will be treated as invaders, and the immune system will attack them, making it difficult to achieve a natural pregnancy.    2. Sperm DNA damage: If the genetic material inside the sperm cells is damaged, or has genetic abnormalities, it could impact the ability to achieve a natural pregnancy.    3. Reactive Oxygen species (ROS): When there is an imbalance of reactions taking place in the body, it can lead to a state of oxidative stress, with too many ROS. This oxidative stress can cause damage in the body, affecting sperm function.    4. Sperm dysfunction: In order to achieve fertilization of the egg, each step must occur correctly. If the sperm malfunctions at any of these steps, then it will be unlikely to achieve a natural pregnancy.    5. Timing of intercourse: If the couple is not timing their intercourse correctly, so that sperm is present in the woman’s body when she ovulates, then their chances of pregnancy will be lower. It is therefore important to take a complete medical and sexual history when attempting to diagnose UMI.    6. Erectile dysfunction: If the patient is unable to attain or maintain an erection during sexual intercourse, a condition that can be caused by venous leaks or nerve dysfunction, as well as psychological factors, then he will be unable to achieve a natural pregnancy with his partner. It is therefore important to take a complete medical and sexual history when attempting to diagnose UMI.    Approximately 15% of male factor infertility can be attributed to unexplained male infertility.