Prenatal and Neonatal Complications in the Etiology of Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a psychotic disorder characterized by an interrelation of signs and symptoms accompanied by social or occupational impairment. This disorder consists of a spectrum of dysfunction pervading thought, perception, communic

Exposure to toxins. In addition to anti-psychotic medication, schizophrenic mothers have been documented as frequently turning to other substances, such as alcohol, in order to deal with the stress of pregnancy (Olin et al., 1996). Schizophrenic persons may also use cigarette smoking as a form of self-medication. Toxins such as alcohol, drugs, radiation (Lyon and McClure, 1994), and nicotine have all been shown to have a detrimental effect on the fetus. Any mother can expose her child to a toxin during gestation, but schizophrenic mothers seem to have a greater vulnerability.

Studies have indicated that prenatal and neonatal complications occur with greater statistical frequency in the births of persons with schizophrenia than controls (Kendell, Juszczak, and Cole, 1996). However, researchers are far from agreement on the exact nature, role, and expression of these complications in the affected population. Contradictory finding have been published on the relationships between obstetric difficulties and both family history and gender (Kunugi, Nanko, Takei, et al., 1996). Gestational insults, such as maternal exposure to influenza, have been implicated as precursors of schizophrenia (Mednick, Machon, Huttunen, et al., 1988) as well as reported to have insignificant effect (Crow and Done, 1992). Studies differ in the specific obstetric complications correlated with schizophrenia (Kendell et al., 1996), and researchers have not yet been able to establish a standard control for possible confounds such as race and socio-economic status (Verdoux, Geddes, Takei, et al., 1997). Perhaps most importantly though is the fact that the order and degree of linkage between gestational insults, genetics, and obstetric complications is yet to be determined.

O’Callaghan, Sham, Takei et al., (1994) compared the occurrence of sixteen (16) infectious diseases other than influenza to later schizophrenia diagnosis in England and Wales. Bronchopneumonia was the only positively associated illness; however, an increase in bronchopneumonia would be expected to occur with increases in influenza.

Some topics in this essay:
Laing Mednick, Schizophrenia Research, Beauregard Bachevalier, Abstract Neonatal, Schizophrenia Schizophrenia, Mortensen Klaening, Geddes Takei, Susser Butler, Neugebauer Hoek, Lyon McClure, et al, al 1996, et al 1996, obstetric complications, family history, persons schizophrenia, olin et, olin et al, verdoux et al, gestational insults, kendell et, prenatal neonatal, takei et, kunugi et al, prenatal neonatal complications,