Kathmandu: A new study has revealed that the COVID-19 virus may cause changes in the sperm of male mice, potentially leading to increased anxiety-like behavior in their offspring. The findings raise significant concerns about the long-term generational effects of the pandemic.

Research Conducted at Australia’s Florey Institute

The research was carried out by scientists at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health in Melbourne, Australia, and published in the journal Nature Communications.
In the study, male mice infected with COVID-19 were bred with uninfected females, and researchers later analyzed the behavior and brain development of the resulting offspring.

Offspring Showed Signs of Anxiety and Genetic Changes

Lead author Dr. Elizabeth Kleiman reported that the offspring of infected fathers exhibited heightened anxious behavior compared to those born to healthy fathers.
The study also found that female offspring showed notable changes in gene activity in the hippocampus—a part of the brain that regulates emotional control and memory.

Co-senior researcher Dr. Carolina Gubert explained that these behavioral changes may stem from imbalances in epigenetic inheritance, affecting how certain genes are expressed during brain development.

Molecular Changes Linked to Sperm RNA

According to Dr. Anthony Hannan, another lead author of the study, the infection appeared to cause molecular-level changes in sperm RNA, which could alter gene regulation related to brain function in the next generation.

“This is the first evidence that COVID-19 infection could have lasting effects on future generations through biological inheritance,” the Florey Institute said in a statement.

Implications and Need for Further Research

Researchers emphasized that while the findings are significant in mice, more studies are needed to determine whether similar effects occur in humans.
Dr. Hannan warned that if replicated in people, such changes could have far-reaching implications for the mental health of children born to fathers infected during the pandemic.