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Published on: November 21, 2013
Early-life origins of schizotypal traits in adulthood
Jari Lahti1, Katri Raïkkönen, Ulla Sovio
1Department of Psychology, University of Helsinki, FI 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland. jari.lahti@helsinki.fi
Background:
Although schizotypal traits, such as anhedonia and aberrant perceptions, may increase the risk for schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, little is known about early-life characteristics that predict more pronounced schizotypal traits.
Aims:
To examine whether birth size or several other early-life factors that have been previously linked with schizophrenia predict schizotypal traits in adulthood.
Method:
Participants of the Northern Finland 1966 Birth Cohort Study (n = 4976) completed a questionnaire on positive and negative schizotypal traits at the age of 31 years.
Results:
Lower placental weight, lower birth weight and smaller head circumference at 12 months predicted elevated positive schizotypal traits in women after adjusting for several confounders (P<0.02). Moreover, higher gestational age, lower childhood family socioeconomic status, undesirability of pregnancy, winter/autumn birth, higher birth order and maternal smoking during pregnancy predicted some augmented schizotypal traits in women, some in men and some in both genders.
Conclusions:
The results point to similarities in the aetiology of schitzotypal traits and schizophrenia-spectrum disorders.
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