Childhood antecedents of schizophrenia and affective illness: social adjustment at ages 7 and 11

Abstract

probably been the acceptability of myalgic encephalomyelitis as a diagnosis. Fatigue scores in our study were strongly correlated with depression scores, and a recent prospective study in general practice has confirmed this relation. 18 Depression as a cause of fibromyalgia is a much debated issue. Persistent pain is a depressing experience. Our finding that the depression score rises with tender point count irrespective of pain status, however, suggests that depression and fatigue may play a part in the genesis of tender points. This fits with the theory ofthe central modulation ofpain experience. Design-Subjects in a prospectively followed up cohort (the national child development study) who had been admitted as adults to psychiatric hospitals were compared with the rest ofthe cohort on ratings of social behaviour made by teachers at the ages of 7 and 11 years. CONCLUSIONSSubjects-40 adult patients with schizophrenic illnesses, 35 with affective psychoses, and 79 with neurotic illness who had been admitted for psychiatric reasons by the age of 28. 1914 randomly selected members of the cohort who had never been admitted for psychiatric treatment.Main outcome measures-Overall scores and scores for overreaction (externalising behaviour) and underreaction (internalising behaviour) with the Bristol social adjustment guide at ages 7 and 11.Results-At the age of 7 children. who developed schizophrenia were rated by their teachers as manifesting more social maladjustment than. controls (overall score 4 3' (SD 24) Av 3-1 (2*0; P<O.O1). Ths was more apparent inmt e boys (5(246)) than the girls (3 4 (1.8)) and related to6overreactive .rather than underreactive behaviour. At both ages prepsychotic (affective) children differed little from notmal controls. By the age of 11 preneurotic children, particularly the girls, had an increased rating of maladjustment (including overreactions and underreactions).Conclusion-Abnormalities of social adjustment are detectable in childhood in some people who develop psychotic illness. Sex and the rate of development of different components ofthe capacity for social interaction are important determinants of the risk of psychosis and other psychiatric disorders in adulthood.

Molecular aspects of glutamate dysregulation: implications for schizophrenia and its treatment

“…Obstetric complications, low birth weight, intrauterine malnutrition, smaller head circumference, congenital malformations, and maternal influenza during the second trimester are all positively correlated with the development of schizophrenia Kunugi et al, 1996;McNeil et al, 1994;O'Callaghan et al, 1991;Wahlbeck et al, 2001;Watson et al, 1984;Willinger et al, 2001;Wright et al, 1995). Moreover, during childhood and early adolescence, neuro-motor dysfunction, psychological abnormalities, social mal-adjustment, and cognitive problems are observed long before schizophrenia is diagnosed (Done et al, 1994;Jones et al, 1994;Rosso et al, 2000;Walker et al, 1993Walker et al, , 1994. These early clinical and psychological observations suggest that schizophrenia is a neurodevelopmental disorder that starts prenatally and progresses throughout childhood and adolescence.…”

Estudos traducionais de neuropsiquiatria e esquizofrenia: modelos animais genéticos e de neurodesenvolvimento

“…Reduced social interaction has been reported in this model prior to and after puberty, although this effect does not appear to respond to clozapine treatment 181 . This may be relevant in light of studies showing that prodromal individuals demonstrate difficulties in establishing friendships and emotional bonding 5,[182][183][184] . Molecular studies have shown increased AMPA receptor (GRIA3) levels in the prefrontal cortex of ventral hippocampal lesion rats, which may be the cause of striatal dopaminergic hyperactivation 185,186 .…”

Childhood predictors of later psychiatric hospital treatment: findings from the Finnish 1981 birth cohort study

“…However, the only large-scale prospective birth cohort study examining childhood predictors for later PHT with a follow-up extending to adulthood is the UK National Child Development Study (UKNCDS) [8]. The study included 131 inpatients and 1385 randomly selected controls.…”

“…Third, in the UKNCDS, childhood mental health problems relied only on teacher reports at baseline [8]. However, information about childhood problems should be based on standardized tools from several informants to get a comprehensive view of the child's problems [7].…”