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Congenital blindness is protective for schizophrenia and other psychotic illness. A whole-population study

Vera A Morgan1, Melanie Clark2, Julie Crewe3

  • 1Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology Research Unit, Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Medical Research Foundation Building, Rear 50, Murray Street, Perth 6000, Australia; Centre for Clinical Research in Neuropsychiatry, Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Medical Research Foundation Building, Rear 50, Murray Street, Perth 6000, Australia.

Schizophrenia Research
|December 13, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Congenital blindness, particularly cortical blindness, appears protective against schizophrenia and psychotic illness. This large study supports that early vision loss may prevent psychosis development.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychiatry
  • Ophthalmology

Background:

  • Previous research suggests a link between congenital blindness and reduced risk of schizophrenia.
  • This study investigates the prevalence of schizophrenia and psychotic illness in individuals with congenital/early blindness using a large population cohort.

Discussion:

  • Cortical blindness, affecting visual processing in the brain, showed a significant protective effect against schizophrenia and psychotic illness.
  • Peripheral blindness, affecting the eye's ability to detect light, did not demonstrate the same protective effect.
  • The findings suggest a specific mechanism related to visual cortex development or function in psychosis prevention.

Key Insights:

  • Congenital/early cortical blindness is strongly associated with a lack of schizophrenia and psychotic illness development.
  • Congenital/early peripheral blindness shows a less pronounced protective effect compared to cortical blindness.
  • The study reinforces the hypothesis that visual pathway integrity plays a role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.

Outlook:

  • Further research into the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the protective effect of cortical blindness is warranted.
  • Investigating potential therapeutic targets based on these findings could offer novel approaches to psychosis prevention.
  • Exploring the role of visual processing in other mental health conditions may reveal new insights.

Keywords:
Congenital blindnessCortical blindnessPeripheral blindnessPsychotic disordersSchizophrenia

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