word count is 247 words.Main text word count is 3,988 words.There are 4 tables and 1 figure.There are 1 supplementary tables.Dr Kim S. Betts (corresponding author), PhD, MPH, BEd. Background: We used a novel approach to investigateearlyneurodevelopmental factors of later adult spectrums of mania, depression and psychosis as a means to identify etiological similarities and differences among the three constructs.
School of PopulationMethods:Participants were from the Mater University Study of Pregnancy (MUSP), a prebirth cohort study started in Brisbane, Australia in 1981.A range of neurodevelopmental variables were ascertained at age 5, including measures of cognitive ability, developmental delay and behaviour problems. At age 21 offspring were assessed using a semi-structured psychiatric interview. We used structural equation modelling to establish three latent factors of mania, depression and psychotic symptoms. We thenregressedthese factors on the neurodevelopmental variables and covariates.
Results:In both univariate and multivariate analysis premorbid cognitive ability predicted only psychotic symptoms, developmental delay predicted only manic symptoms, while behaviour problems predicted both depressive and psychotic symptoms. In a supplementary analysis the three factors were also found to have unique relationships with a number of outcomes also measured at age 21, including anxiety and substance use.
Conclusion:By assessing the impact of early childhood neurodevelopmenton the continuous spectrums which underlie three serious adult psychiatric disorders in a general population sample, we provide unique evidence regarding potential etiological similarities and differences. Perhaps of most interest is that our findings suggestthat the manic and depressive symptoms in bipolar depression, despite often overlapping in clinical presentations, may in fact be somewhat separate entities with origins that are at least partly unique to either disorder.Key words: Mania, depression, psychosis, neurodevelopment, structural equation modelling M A N U S C R I P T
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IntroductionDetermining the etiologies of serious mental health problems including major depression, bipolar disorders and schizophrenia remains a priority in efforts to reduce the considerable morbidity and mortality associated with these disorders (Saha et al., 2005, Slade et al., 2009.One area of research has focused on pinpointing thechildhood neurodevelopmental abnormalities which predict such psychiatric disorders inlater life, in the hope of identifying at risk individuals for early intervention. Such research hashighlighted a number of neurodevelopmental similarities and differences among the disorders.Impairments in cognitive ability, social functioning, attention and motor functioninghave been found to predict schizophrenia (Dickson et al., 2012, Erlenmeyer-Kimling et al., 2000.While some studies suggest similar impairments are not associated with later onset bipolar disorders (Cannon et al., 2002, Murray et ...
