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The risk of developing autism may be passed on through - and not just to - future generations, researchers say. The international study suggests older fathers are more likely to have grandchildren with autism than their younger counterparts.
研究人員說，罹患自閉症的風險可能透過未來世代傳遞下去，而不只是傳給下一代。這份國際研究顯示，年紀較大的父親，孫兒輩罹患自閉症的機率，比年紀較輕的父親高。
Previous studies suggested older fathers may be at greater risk of having children with autism than younger dads.
先前的研究顯示，年紀較大的父親，生出自閉症孩子的風險，可能比年紀較輕的父親高。
But the team of UK, Swedish and Australian researchers say this is one of the first pieces of evidence to show the risk can be passed on through - rather than just straight to - future generations.
不過這個英國、瑞典與澳洲團隊的研究人員說，這是首度有證據顯示，自閉症風險會透過未來世代傳遞下去，而不只是直接傳給下一代。
The "silent mutations" - changes in genetic material - are likely to have no obvious impact on older fathers’ own children, but they may build up through subsequent generations, or interact with other genes and environmental factors, to increase the chance of their grandchildren developing the condition, the researchers say.
研究人員說，這種「沉默的突變」，也就是遺傳物質的改變，對較老父親的小孩可能沒有明顯影響，但這些改變可能會透過後來的世代增強，或與其他基因及環境因子互動，增加孫輩罹患自閉症的機率。
新聞辭典
relay：動詞，傳遞。例句：I was told the news first and then I relayed it to the others.（我最先獲知這個消息，接著我把消息傳給別人。）
pass on：片語，傳下去、把（疾病）傳給他人。例句：It’s possible to pass on the virus to others through physical contact.（透過身體接觸可能把這種病毒傳給別人。）
build up：片語，增強。例句：Tension is building up between the two communities.（兩個社區之間的緊張關係逐漸升高。）
文章出處：<a href="http://iservice.libertytimes.com.tw/Service/english/">自由時報電子報中英對照新聞
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