[Maternal age in the etiology of schizophrenia]

M Halmo1, J Pogády, E Letko

  • 1Psychiatrická liecebna v Pezinku a Katedra genetiky a molekulárnej biológie PFUK v Bratislave.

The relationship between maternal age at time of delivery and the incidence of schizophrenia in the offspring was investigated. By the method of regression analysis the value of the regression coefficient was found to be positive, indicating that with an increase of the mean maternal age by one year the incidence of schizophrenia rises in the offspring by 0.68%. Statistical evaluation of the incidence of the disease in the offspring of two age groups of mothers showed that maternal age ranging from 31 to 40 (means = 25.1 y.) was accompanied with a statistically significant increase in the risk of developing schizophrenia in the offspring as compared to maternal age ranging from 18 to 30 year (mean = 25.1 y.). The difference in the incidence of the disease in the offspring of the two age groups was 9.64% (Tab. 1, Fig. 1, Ref. 13).

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