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J Assist Reprod Genet (2016) 33:441454 DOI 10.1007/s10815-016-0663-y
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Effects of aging on the male reproductive system
Sezgin Gunes1,2 & Gulgez Neslihan Taskurt Hekim1 & Mehmet Alper Arslan1,2 &
Ramazan Asci2,3
Received: 7 November 2015 /Accepted: 18 January 2016 /Published online: 11 February 2016 # Springer Science+Business Media New York 2016
Abstract The study aims to discuss the effects of aging on the male reproductive system. A systematic review was performed using PubMed from 1980 to 2014. Aging is a natural process comprising of irreversible changes due to a myriad of endogenous and environmental factors at the level of all organs and systems. In modern life, as more couples choose to postpone having a child due to various socioeconomic reasons, research for understanding the effects of aging on the reproductive system has gained an increased importance. Paternal aging also causes genetic and epigenetic changes in
spermatozoa, which impair male reproductive functions through their adverse effects on sperm quality and count as, well as, on sexual organs and the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Hormone production, spermatogenesis, and testes undergo changes as a man ages. These small changes lead to decrease in both the quality and quantity of spermatozoa. The offspring of older fathers show high prevalence of genetic abnormalities, childhood cancers, and several neuropsychiatric disorders. In addition, the latest advances in assisted reproductive techniques give older men a chance to have a child even with poor semen parameters. Further studies should investigate the onset of gonadal senesce and its effects on aging men.
Keywords Aging . Gonads . Hormone . Oxidative stress . Telomeres
Introduction
Aging is a combination of irreversible changes over time ob-served in all eukaryotic organisms at the level of molecules, cells, tissues, organs, and systems. Both male and female reproductive capacities decline with age. Compared to women, the decline in male reproductive capacity with age is less pronounced and men are considered to be able to have a child throughout their lifespan. In literature, the role and the importance of maternal age in fertilization has been extensively studied; however, the effect of the paternal age is poorly understood [15]. Now,...