Individuals with idiopathic asthenozoospermia

Individuals with idiopathic asthenozoospermia (iAZS) suffer from a form of male infertility characterized by abnormal sperm motility where routine clinical workups—including physical, endocrine, genetic, and biochemical examinations—fail to identify a root cause. This condition is a significant contributor to male infertility, with asthenozoospermia observed in up to 81% of abnormal semen analyses.

The underlying biology of iAZS is potentially linked to oxidative stress induced by excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS), as well as unknown genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors. Because human spermatozoa lack adequate oxygen radical-scavenging enzymes, they are highly vulnerable to these stressors, which can lead to apoptosis and impaired motility.

Currently, there is no radical treatment to fundamentally preserve sperm motility in iAZS cases. Management is typically symptomatic, involving lifestyle modifications, antioxidant therapy, or Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) such as IVF and ICSI. Innovation in this space is critical as researchers seek to identify specific signaling pathways, mitochondrial DNA integrity, and genetic mutations to develop more effective therapeutic targets.