Genetics, Perinatal Insult and Schizophrenia: The Mechanism Underlying an Increased Prevalence of Perinatal Complications Among Individuals with a Diagnosis of Schizophrenia?

Authors: Preti, Antonio; Miotto, Paola

Source: Current Psychiatry Reviews, Volume 1, Number 2, June 2005 , pp. 139-150(12)

Publisher: Bentham Science Publishers

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Abstract:

Recent studies on animals and humans point to the possibility that environmental events might impact on genetic predisposition to abnormal reactions after CNS lesion, causing deviations in the natural course of brain maturation that may result in neuropsychiatric disorders.

The literature on the genetic basis of obstetric complications risk is here summarized and linked to the large body of studies indicating perinatal and prenatal adverse events as significant antecedents of schizophrenia.

The hypothesis of an important link between obstetric complications on a genetic basis and the risk of schizophrenia is put forward, with an illustration of the studies that will allow accepting or rejecting the proposed hypothesis.

Keywords: schizophrenia; obstetric complication; genetics; epidemiology

Document Type: Review article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1573400054065596

Affiliations: 1: Centro Medico Genneruxi, via Costantinopoli 42, I-09129 Cagliari, Italy.

Publication date: 2005-06-01

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Current Psychiatry Reviews publishes frontier reviews on all the latest advances on clinical psychiatry and its related areas e.g. pharmacology, epidemiology, clinical care, and therapy. The journal's aim is to publish the highest quality review articles dedicated to clinical research in the field. The journal is essential reading for all clinicians, psychiatrists and researchers in psychiatry.