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Childhood growth and future development of psychotic disorder among Helsinki high-risk children

Laura T Niemi1, Jaana M Suvisaari, Jari K Haukka

  • 1Department of Mental Health and Alcohol Research, KTL, National Public Health Institute, Mannerheimintie, Helsinki, Finland. laura.niemi@ktl.fi

Schizophrenia Research
|June 2, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Childhood growth patterns, particularly rapid weight gain (catch-up growth), may increase schizophrenia risk in offspring of mothers with psychotic disorders. Further research is needed to confirm this link.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental psychology
  • Psychiatry
  • Genetics

Background:

  • The Helsinki High-Risk (HR) Study tracks offspring of mothers treated for schizophrenia spectrum disorders.
  • This study compares growth patterns in HR children and controls.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare childhood growth between high-risk (HR) and control children.
  • To identify if childhood growth patterns predict the development of psychotic disorders in HR offspring.

Main Methods:

  • Growth data from childhood health cards were analyzed for 114 HR and 53 control offspring.
  • Logistic regression models examined associations between childhood growth and psychotic disorder morbidity within the HR group.

Main Results:

  • HR girls showed reduced birth length, which normalized by age 7.
  • HR boys exhibited a height deficit that increased significantly by age 10.
  • Specific birth ponderal index and 7-year BMI patterns predicted later schizophrenia development in HR children (OR 22.8).

Conclusions:

  • Rapid childhood growth (catch-up growth) appears to elevate schizophrenia risk in offspring of mothers with psychotic disorders.
  • The independent role of catch-up growth as a risk factor requires further investigation.
Abstract

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