[5] Gerontophilia is classified as a paraphilia, but is not mentioned in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or International Classification of Diseases.
[3] A study of pornographic search terms on a peer-to-peer network reported that 0.15% had gerontophilic themes.
[3][9] Research on gerontophilia is limited to a small number of case studies, beginning with a paper by French physician Charles Féré in 1905.
[3] Such studies commonly report that the subject had an early sexual experience with a much older woman.
[8] A figurative gerontophilia was a characteristic of Algernon Charles Swinburne's passion for antiquated poets.