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Familial psychiatric illness and obstetric complications in early-onset affective disorder. A case-control study
Insights
Early-onset affective disorders in adults are linked to obstetric complications and family psychiatric history. Childhood symptoms, however, did not predict the specific adult diagnosis in this study.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Developmental Psychology
- Genetics
Background:
- Early-onset affective disorders often present in childhood or adolescence.
- These disorders have a significant familial component, particularly for psychosis.
- Obstetric complications are also noted as potential risk factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate risk factors associated with early-onset affective disorders.
- To determine if childhood psychiatric symptoms predict adult diagnosis type.
- To explore the relationship between familial psychiatric illness, obstetric complications, and early-onset affective disorders.
Main Methods:
- A matched case-control study design was employed.
- 47 adult in-patients with major depressive disorder or bipolar I disorder (early onset) were compared to 47 controls with adult-onset affective disorders and no prior psychiatric contact.
- Matching criteria included sex, social class, and ethnic group.
Main Results:
- A history of psychiatric disorder in first-degree relatives was significantly associated with early-onset affective disorder.
- A history of obstetric complications was also significantly associated with early-onset affective disorder.
- Childhood symptoms did not predict whether the adult disorder would be major depressive disorder or bipolar I disorder.
Conclusions:
- Familial psychiatric history and obstetric complications are key risk factors for early-onset affective disorders.
- Early intervention and awareness of these risk factors are crucial.
- Further research is needed to understand the predictive value of childhood symptoms on specific adult diagnoses.
Abstract:
Early-onset affective disorder is associated with obstetric complications and a high familial risk of psychiatric illness, in particular psychosis. In a matched case-control study, we investigated 47 adult in-patients with major depressive disorder or bipolar 1 disorder, who had earlier in life presented to a child psychiatry department. Cases were matched on sex, social class and ethnic group with 47 controls, who were admitted to hospital for affective disorders in adult life but had no psychiatric contact before the age of 21. We found that both psychiatric disorder in first-degree relatives and a history of obstetric complications were associated with early onset. Childhood symptoms did not predict the type of adult affective disorder.