Related Experiment Videos
Predicting schizophrenia: findings from the Edinburgh High-Risk Study
Eve C Johnstone1, Klaus P Ebmeier, Patrick Miller
1Division of Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh, Kennedy Tower, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside Park, Edinburgh EH10 5HF, UK. Norma.Brearley@ed.ac.uk
Summary
Schizophrenia is a neurodevelopmental disorder. Early signs like social anxiety and withdrawal in high-risk individuals can predict future development of schizophrenia years before onset.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Genetics
Background:
- Investigating the neurodevelopmental hypothesis of schizophrenia.
- Prospective study of young individuals at high risk for schizophrenia (10-15% postulated risk).
Purpose of the Study:
- Identify premorbid variables differentiating high-risk individuals who develop schizophrenia from those who do not.
- Understand early indicators of schizophrenia development.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 163 high-risk young adults (two relatives with schizophrenia) and 36 controls.
- Serial examinations and baseline measure comparisons between groups: schizophrenia development, well controls, well high-risk, and high-risk with psychotic symptoms.
Main Results:
- 20 high-risk individuals developed schizophrenia within 2.5 years.
- Schizophrenia development associated with isolated/partial psychotic symptoms, social anxiety, withdrawal, and schizotypal features.
- High-risk sample showed differences in developmental and neuropsychological variables compared to controls.
Conclusions:
- Genetic predisposition to schizophrenia impacts more individuals than will develop the illness, with detectable partial impairments.
- Predictors for schizophrenia development are identifiable years prior to clinical onset.