Interaction of Genetic and Psychosocial Factors in Schizophrenia

Abstract

What the genetic and family dynamic theory have in common, is that the cause of schizophrenia could be found in the family. Usually the genetic factors and the rearing factors are confounded in the same family. In a study of adoptive children given away for adoption early enough, discrimination between these two sets of factors is possible.A nation-wide sample of offspring of schizophrenic mothers, given away for adoption, has been compared blindly with matched controls, i.e., adopted-away offspring of non-schizophrenic biologic parents. The families have been investigated thoroughly with joint and individual interviews and psychological tests. In the 91 pairs where both the index and control families have been investigated and rated so far, the total number of severe diagnoses (psychosis, borderline, character disorder) is 28.6% (26/91) in the index group and 16.5% (15/91) in the matched control group. Of the 7 psychotic cases, 6 are offspring of schizophrenics and only one a control offspring. The relation of psychopathology of adoptive families to the mental health ratings of the offspring supports the hypothesis that a possible genetic vulnerability has interacted with the adoptive rearing environment. (21) Alanen YO. In search of the interactional origin of schizophrenia. In: CK Hofling, JM Lewis, eds. The family; evaluation and treatment. New York: Brunner/Mazel, 1980:285-314. (22) Tienari P, Sorri A, Lahti I, Naarala M, Wahlberg K-E, Ronkko T, Pohjola J, Moring J, Koistinen P. The Finnish adoptive family study of schizophrenia.

Mortality after care among young adult foster children in Sweden

“…One possible approach is to learn from landmark crossadoption studies (e.g. Cloninger, Bohman & Sigvardsson, 1981;Bohman, Sigvardsoon & Cloninger, 1981;Tienari et al, 1985Tienari et al, , 2000Sigvardsson, Bohman & Cloninger, 1996) by linking data on environmental and genetic backgrounds for samples of foster children or children of high-risk parents.…”

Mentalization‐based psychodynamic psychotherapy for psychosis

“…First, impairments of mental processes involved in aspects of awareness of the self and others are now documented in both chronic and early course psychotic illness (e.g., Kettle et al, 2008;Vogeley, 2007). Second, it is increasingly believed that early dysfunction in the familial environment and childhood trauma constitute one class of important risk factors to the emergence of psychosis among a significant subset of genetically vulnerable patients (Tienari et al, 1985;Myin-Germeys & van Os, 2007). Third, disruptions of mental processes involved in awareness of the self and others may form the basis for the emergence of psychosis (Frith, 1992;Sass & Parnas, 2003).…”

Interfaces: Toward a New Generation of Systemic Models in Family Research and Practice

“…Further, the evolutionary rules followed by proteins and cells for an adequate development of the nervous system, and the psychosocial experiences needed to alter the genetic expression appear to be becoming unveiled (Insel, 2005). Our understanding of the complex and rich nuances of the gene‐environment interface was expanded during the past decades by the pioneering research projects led by the Wynne/Tienari team and by David Reiss and his associates (McGuire, Neiderhiser, Reiss, Hetherington, & Plomin, 1994; O'Connor, Neiderhiser, Reiss, Hetherington, & Plomin, 1998; Pedersen et al, 1989; Plomin, Chipuer, & Neiderhiser, 1994; Reiss, 2000; Reiss, Cederblad, et al, 2001; Reiss, Pedersen, et al, 2001; Rende, Plomin, Reiss, & Hetherington, 1993; Tienari et al, 1987; Tienari, Sorri, & Lahti, 1985; Tienari et al, 1994, 2000, 2003, 2004), and by other researchers exploring the interface between family processes and genetics 6 . This line of research is consistent with Bronfenbrenner and Ceci's (1994) bioecological postulation that environmental variables, including parental styles, play an important role in determining whether biological factors lead to the development of psychiatric disorders.…”