Childhood Mental Disorders and Risk of Schizophrenia

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doi:10.3844/amjsp.2012.43.46

Abstract

Problem statement: Schizophrenia is one of the most serious forms of mental diseases, but the etiology of schizophrenia is still not well understood. Investigations are required to gain better understanding of the pre-onset course of schizophrenia. Approach: This study was a population-based birth-cohort study of males born between 1980 and 1984 in Western Australia (WA). Males were identified using birth registry records and followed-up until December 31st, 2009 or death using linked health data available through the Western Australian Data Linkage System (WADLS). Results: Children who developed a mental disorder before the age of 12 yrs had about at twice the risk of developing schizophrenia compared to those without a diagnosis. Increased risks appeared to be greatest for specific delays in development and hyperkinetic syndrome of childhood. Conclusion: Children with childhood mental disorders are at higher risk of being diagnosed with schizophrenia later in life. These findings provide further evidence to support the hypothesis that schizophrenia is a neurodevelopmental disorder.

Highlights

Schizophrenia is one of the most serious forms of mental diseases affecting about 1% of the general population worldwide (Maki et al, 2005) and it has been estimated to account for 2.3% of the total burden of disease in developed countries (Hales et al, 2008)
Most of the psychological and cognitive abnormalities observed among children who later developed schizophrenia were mild or moderate and did not reach the severity required for clinical diagnosis (Walker et al, 2004)
Statistical analysis: In the analysis we first assessed by type of disorder, it was found that disturbance of the association between all diagnosed mental disorders emotions, specific delays in development and occurring from 0-12 yrs of age and risk of hyperkinetic syndrome of childhood were all schizophrenia and we separately assessed the significantly associated with increased risk of relation for the six most common groups of mental schizophrenia

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Schizophrenia is one of the most serious forms of mental diseases affecting about 1% of the general population worldwide (Maki et al, 2005) and it has been estimated to account for 2.3% of the total burden of disease in developed countries (Hales et al, 2008). It was reported that children with schizophrenia outcome demonstrated abnormal social behaviors and showed less positive emotion (Walker et al, 2004; Walker et al, 1993) In these previous studies, most of the psychological and cognitive abnormalities observed among children who later developed schizophrenia were mild or moderate and did not reach the severity required for clinical diagnosis (Walker et al, 2004). Demographics, hospitalization and outpatient visit records of mental health conditions before the age of 12yrs and diagnosis of schizophrenia in outpatient or inpatient psychiatric service during the follow-up period were identified for the birth cohort from three databases and linked by the WADLS. Morbidity Data and the Mental Health Ambulatory Data, diagnosis of mental disorder was mainly coded

RESULTS

DISCUSSION

Findings

Limitations