Australian researchers discovered that Covid-19 infection in male mice causes sperm changes that may increase anxiety in their offspring.
The study was conducted at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health in Melbourne, published in Nature Communications journal.
Results showed all offspring from Covid-infected fathers exhibited more anxious behaviors compared to offspring from uninfected fathers.
Female mice particularly showed significant changes in gene activity in the hippocampus, the brain region that regulates emotions and contributes to increased anxiety through altered brain development.
This groundbreaking research represents the first study demonstrating long-term impacts of Covid infection on behavior and brain development of future generations.
Researchers believe these findings suggest the Covid-19 pandemic could have lasting effects on future generations, though further research is needed to confirm if similar changes occur in humans.
