Researchers at the Florey Institute in Australia have discovered that a father’s COVID-19 infection prior to conception may affect the brain development and behavior of his offspring. The study, published in Nature Communications, shows that the SARS-CoV-2 virus can result in molecular changes in sperm that are later passed on to the next generation.
Lead researcher Professor Anthony Hannan said the findings, based on studies in mice, reveal that COVID-19 may have biological effects that extend beyond those directly infected. He explained that the results add to growing evidence showing how a father’s health before conception can shape the long-term well-being of his children.
Previous studies showed the effects of diet and environment
Hannan noted that earlier research had already found similar outcomes when male mice were exposed to certain environmental or lifestyle factors, such as an unhealthy diet before mating. These exposures affected the brain and behavior of their offspring.
He explained that a father’s experiences can modify the biological information carried in his sperm. This includes changes to specific RNA molecules that serve as messengers, transmitting developmental instructions to the next generation.
Researchers test impact of COVID-19 on sperm RNA
In the new study, Hannan and his team—including Dr. Elizabeth Kleeman, Dr. Carolina Gubert, and other collaborators—investigated whether COVID-19 could produce similar effects. They examined how infection with SARS-CoV-2 might alter sperm RNA and influence offspring development.
COVID-19 may affect not just us but the next generation’s brain health 🧠
New studies show infection can alter sperm and egg cell epigenetics, potentially impacting children’s mental development.
Science is still uncovering long-term effects.#COVIDResearch #Epigenetics pic.twitter.com/Npx9hPxEiz— Dr. Neeraj Rajput (@NeerajResearch) October 13, 2025
Kleeman, the study’s first author, said the researchers allowed male mice to recover completely from COVID-19 before mating them with healthy females. The offspring of these previously infected males showed more anxious behavior than those whose fathers had not been infected.
COVID-19 affects offsprings: Anxiety and altered brain gene activity
All offspring from COVID-19-affected fathers displayed higher levels of anxiety-like behavior. In female offspring, researchers also identified significant changes in gene activity within the hippocampus—a brain region associated with emotion, memory, and mood regulation.
Co-senior author Gubert said these changes in the hippocampus and other brain areas may explain the increased anxiety seen in the offspring. She added that the effects appear to result from epigenetic inheritance, where changes in genetic information within sperm influence how the brain develops.
Genetic analysis confirms lasting molecular effects of COVID-19 on brains of offspring
Further analysis of sperm RNA confirmed that COVID-19 infection altered several molecules, including those that regulate genes crucial for brain development. Hannan said this is the first study to demonstrate that a father’s SARS-CoV-2 infection before conception can affect offspring behavior and brain structure.
He said that while more research is needed, especially in humans, the findings raise critical questions about the long-term biological effects of the pandemic. Hannan emphasized the importance of understanding how viral infections can influence not only those who become ill but also their children.
Potential global implications for public health
Hannan warned that if these findings translate to humans, the implications could be far-reaching. Millions of children and families around the world could be affected, he said, underscoring the importance of continued research into the long-term biological consequences of COVID-19.
The study, published in Nature Communications, highlights the need to better understand how infections and parental health before conception may shape future generations.
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