HLA antigens in patients with schizophrenic syndromes

HLA antigens were studied in 50 patients, 40 males, 10 females and two brothers of patients, all suffering from schizophrenic syndromes. The average duration of illness for the whole group was 18 +/- 1.5 years. The frequency of A10 antigen was increased in the schizophrenic patients as compared with 449 healthy individuals. None of the findings concerning HLA and schizophrenia reported in the literature could be verified in the present study. Two ill brothers comprised in the study proved to have the same HLA phenotype as their respective ill sibling. So far there is no conclusive evidence for association between any HLA antigen and 'schizophrenia'. Further investigations should be concerned with families and not with single patients.