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An association between both low and high birth weight and increased disorganized and negative symptom severity in

Asko Wegelius1, Maiju Pankakoski, Ulriika Lehto

  • 1National Institute for Health and Welfare, Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Helsinki, Finland. asko.wegelius@thl.fi

Psychiatry Research
|September 19, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Both low and high birth weight are linked to increased symptom severity in psychotic disorders, including schizophrenia. This includes disorganized and negative symptoms, highlighting birth weight

Area of Science:

  • Psychiatry and Neuroscience
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Longitudinal studies suggest a link between abnormal birth weight (low or high) and schizophrenia risk.
  • Understanding the impact of birth weight on symptom severity in psychotic disorders is crucial for early intervention and treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between birth weight and symptom severity in individuals with primary psychotic disorders, including schizophrenia.
  • To examine how birth weight influences specific symptom domains such as positive, negative, and disorganized symptoms.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a Finnish schizophrenia family study sample of 282 individuals with primary psychotic disorders (178 with schizophrenia).
  • Employed a multivariate General Estimating Equation (GEE) regression model to analyze the association.
  • Assessed symptom severity using the Scales for the Assessment of Positive and Negative Symptoms (SAPS and SANS), adjusting for sex, place, and year of birth.

Main Results:

  • Both low and high birth weight were significantly associated with more severe symptoms of bizarre behavior, affective flattening, and attentional impairment.
  • Low birth weight specifically correlated with more severe positive formal thought disorder symptoms.
  • Findings indicate that deviations in birth weight influence both negative and disorganized symptom dimensions in psychotic disorders.

Conclusions:

  • Both low and high birth weight are implicated in influencing the symptom severity of psychotic disorders.
  • The study highlights a specific association between birth weight extremes and disorganized and negative symptoms in schizophrenia spectrum disorders.

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