[Is the developmental model accurate for all psychiatric disorders?]

In the 1980's a neurodevelopmental hypothesis of schizophrenia was proposed. Since that time, the role of early developmental age as a risk period for action of etiological factors in psychosis was confirmed. Additionally, many disturbances of pre-schizophrenic persons in the developmental age were demonstrated. Recently published longitudinal cohort studies indicate that majority of the psychiatric disorders other than schizophrenia are preceded by occurrence of psychiatric disorders in childhood and early adolescence. Moreover, in numerous studies of adult anxiety and mood disorders, the role of early risk factors was observed and temperament, neurophysiological and psychopathological disturbances in early age were reported. The resulting developmental model of psychiatric disorders may help in the understanding of their pathogenesis. Subsequently, detection and treatment of early life disturbances may hypothetically prevent severe psychopathological symptoms in adulthood.