Mothers Of Schizophrenic Patients Research Articles

Mothers of schizophrenic patients: medical and psychological aspects of the problem

Thus, we can talk about the obvious mutual influence between a child with schizophrenia and his mother. On the one hand, it can be manifested in the form of the fact that a certain number of personal characteristics of the mother is accompanied by the formation of high rates of schizoid and neurotic child. Of course, the presence of a certain psychological type of mother (as the only reason) is not enough for the emergence and development of schizophrenia, but the subsequent development of the child’s personal disorders, as a borderline between the norm and pathology, can already be the ground for the development of the disease in the presence of other more significant causes (for example, hereditary). On the other hand, the disease of the child can be a significant stress factor for the mother, leading to the formation of her manifestations of emotional stress and psychological maladjustment, which, in turn, can adversely affect not only the features of her relationship with the child, but also on the features of the course of his disease. The mechanisms of formation of such a «vicious circle» are poorly studied even theoretically, not to mention the fact that in routine psychiatric practice these issues do not fall into the focus of the psychiatrist’s attention, are not taken into account in the development of therapy strategy. However, the parameters of interaction between mother and child, the level of their mutual empathy, can be important for the formation of compliance in the treatment of schizophrenia, as the «conductor» of therapy in relation to a small patient is the mother. There is also no doubt that the level of mental health of the mother is an important resource for maintaining the viability of the whole family system and, in particular, a necessary condition for the organization of adequate therapy for a child with schizophrenia. Therefore, the study of the issues of mutual influence of the patient with schizophrenia and his mother, the development of ways to correct the problems arising in this case are an important scientific and practical task of modern psychiatry.

The examination of the relationship between the blood oxytocin level and attachment styles among mothers of schizophrenia patients

Objective: Attachment is defined as the continuing and consistent emotional bond between child and caregiver. The inadequacies or the occasional failures in relation between mother and child will affect the attachment negatively. A number of studies have demonstrated that there is a relationship between insecure attachment and the symptoms of schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. Oxytocin hormone have positive effects in attachment, social interaction and child care. Studies regarding the level of blood oxytocin and its associations with the attach-ment styles of mothers of schizophrenia patients are very rare in the literature. The aim of our study is to clarify the attachment patterns believed to play a role in the etiology of schizophrenia and to compare the current relationship of oxytocin hormone with the parents of patients in comparison with the healthy control group. Methods: Thirty-four healthy mother of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and 31 healthy mothers were included to the study. Participants completed the Close Relationships Inventory-II and blood oxytocin levels were measured. The t test was used to compare the groups and the Pearson correlation analysis was used for the correlation. Results: In the study, it was determined that mothers of schizophrenic patients had higher Close Relationships Inventory-II scores and lower blood oxytocin levels than healthy controls. In addition, there was an inverse correlation between blood oxytocin level and Close Relationships Inventory-II scores. Conclusion: In our study, insecure attachment patterns (anxious and avoidant) were observed in the mothers of schizophrenic patients and it was shown that there was a significant relationship between the style of attachment and oxytocin. Low blood of oxytocin levels were related with insecure attachment among the mothers of schizophrenic patients. Moreover, it can be considered that the mothers of the schizophrenic patients because of the bidirectional interaction affect the connection, it could develop unsafe attachment patterns.

Eyes Test Performance of Mothers of Schizophrenic Patients

Eyes Test Performance of Mothers of Schizophrenic Patients

Risk for Cancer in Parents of Patients With Schizophrenia

This study attempted to determine whether a genetic protection against cancer might be manifest in parents of offspring with schizophrenia. Using data from the Danish Central Population Registry, the authors identified 1,999,072 parents of offspring born after 1935. By linking this nationwide population-based parent cohort to the Danish Psychiatric Central Register, they identified 19,856 parents of offspring with schizophrenia. Follow-up for cancer in the Danish Cancer Registry began on the date of birth of the oldest child or April 1, 1969, and ended on the date of cancer diagnosis, death, or Dec. 31, 1997, yielding a total of 48,343,430 person-years at risk and 211,681 cases of cancer. The relative risk for cancer among parents with schizophrenic offspring compared to parents with no schizophrenic offspring was estimated by Poisson regression analysis and adjusted for age, period, and number of children. The risk for all cancer was 1.01 for fathers and 1.00 for mothers of schizophrenics. Mothers of schizophrenic patients had an increased risk of 1.20 for lung cancer and a nonsignificant risk of 1.14 for tobacco-related cancers combined. Apart from a reduced risk for leukemia in both mothers and fathers of schizophrenics, there was no difference in risk for any other cancer. This study does not confirm a previously reported reduced risk for cancer in parents of schizophrenic patients and provides no support for genetic protection against cancer in families with schizophrenia.

Distress in parents of patients suffering from schizophrenia of affective disorders

The present study aims at investigating to what extent relatives of individuals suffering from mental illness experience caregiver burden. Hypotheses are formulated on the basis of stress theory and are tested on a sample of family members. Relatives organised in the German and Austrian relatives' associations were questioned by means of mail surveys. Only parents (n = 509) of patients with schizophrenia or affective disorders were included in the study. The majority of those questioned expressed the opinion that the burden experienced through caring for the patient interferes with their own state of health. Among the negative consequences of care-giving cited, health burden ranked first, followed by restrictions in the fields of leisure, employment/career and finances. For the respondents, the average sum score of the Zerssen list of complaints [1] was clearly increased in comparison with the standard values for the general population. Among the symptoms cited, brooding, inner unrest, irritability, insomnia, fatigue as well as neck and shoulder pains were mentioned most frequently. No gender or diagnosis-related differences were found with regard to the extent of burden experienced. Interaction effects could be demonstrated in that fathers of schizophrenic patients differ significantly from mothers of schizophrenic patients as well as from fathers of children with affective disorders. Further research is called for as relatives of people with mental disorders seem to represent a high-risk group. On the basis of our data, it can be assumed that these relatives differ from the general population in their utilisation of medical or rehabilitation services.

Investigation of Complement C4B Deficiency in Schizophrenia

Several lines of evidence suggest that autoimmune mechanisms might contribute to the development of schizophrenia. Important factors involved in immune responses in man include the human leukocyte antigens and components of the complement system. In the present study we attempted to confirm a positive association between a homozygous deficiency in complement factor C4B and schizophrenia as previously reported. We also determined parental genotypes in a subset of our schizophrenic patients to test the hypothesis of a genetic mechanism depending on the mother's genotype. C4B deficiency was found in similar frequency among patients (n = 176) and controls (n = 145). There was also no increased frequency of C4B deficiency in the mothers of schizophrenic patients. Our study does not support a widespread or consistent association between a deficiency in complement component C4B and schizophrenia.

Affective illness and schizophrenia in families with multiple schizophrenic members: independent illnesses or variant gene(s)?

Affective disorder occurs in some families with schizophrenia, and schizophrenic patients often describe concurrent episode(s) of depression that may lead them to be diagnosed schizoaffective. The present study examines the pattern of affective disorder in families with two or more members with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. We find that affective disorders are more frequently inherited from the same parental side of the family as schizophrenia-like psychosis. When unipolar, it more often is expressed in female than male relatives (particularly mothers), and when bipolar it is more likely in males. In contrast, schizophrenia with and without depression is equally prevalent in both sexes. Unipolar illness was more common in relatives of schizophrenics whose illnesses are characterized by recurrent episodes of depression than in those whose are not. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that the same genes could contribute to susceptibility to both schizophrenia and affective disorder in some families, and that sex and phenotypic expression are in some way related. However, the phenomenon of high rates of depression in mothers of schizophrenic patients needs explanation.

Are gender differences genetically related to catecholamine metabolism in schizophrenia?

Serum homovanillic acid (HVA) and norepinephrine (NE), serum dopamine-β-hydroxylase (DBH), platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO), and erythrocyte catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) have been measured in 86 healthy parents of schizophrenic patients and 36 normal control subjects. The t-test showed that serum HVA concentration was significantly higher in mothers of female patients than in mothers of male patients ( p < .05); Kruskal-Wallis analysis revealed a significant difference in erythrocyte COMT activity among the mothers of male patients, mothers of female patients and female control subjects ( H = 8.7, df = 2, p < .02); and the Mann-Whitney test demonstrated that erythrocyte COMT activity was significantly increased in mothers of male patients as compared with female control subjects ( p < .01), but there were no significant differences in the HVA concentration and COMT activity between the fathers of male and female patients, and male control subjects. There were no significant changes in serum NE concentration, serum DBH and platelet MAO activity in these subjects. The present study suggests that catecholamine metabolism in mothers of schizophrenic patients may play a genetic role in the gender differences of schizophrenia.

The Mothers of Schizophrenic Patients

The Mothers of Schizophrenic Patients

Yrjö O. Alanen: The mothers of schizophrenic patients. A study of the personality and the mother-child relationship of 100 mothers and the significance of these factors in the pathogenesis of Schizophrenia, in comparison with heredity. Ejnar Munksgaard Ed. Copenhagen, 1958, pagg. 361. Acta Psychiatrica et Neurologica Scandinavica, Supplemen turn 124. Volumen 33, 1958.

Yrjö O. Alanen: The mothers of schizophrenic patients. A study of the personality and the mother-child relationship of 100 mothers and the significance of these factors in the pathogenesis of Schizophrenia, in comparison with heredity. Ejnar Munksgaard Ed. Copenhagen, 1958, pagg. 361. Acta Psychiatrica et Neurologica Scandinavica, Supplemen turn 124. Volumen 33, 1958.

A Study of Mothers of Schizophrenic Patients†

A Study of Mothers of Schizophrenic Patients^†