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Related Experiment Videos

Head circumference in 'preschizophrenic' and control neonates

T F McNeil1, E Cantor-Graae, L G Nordström

  • 1University of Lund Department of Psychiatry, Malmö General Hospital, Sweden.

The British Journal of Psychiatry : the Journal of Mental Science
|April 1, 1993
PubMed
Summary

Infants who later develop schizophrenia (RDC) may have smaller head circumferences before birth. This suggests a prenatal environmental factor, not genetics, may impact brain development in schizophrenia.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychiatry
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • Schizophrenia (RDC) is a complex disorder with suspected genetic and environmental influences.
  • Prenatal development is critical for brain structure and function.
  • Understanding early developmental markers may elucidate schizophrenia's etiology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate prenatal anthropometric differences in infants who later developed schizophrenia (RDC).
  • To identify potential non-genetic factors influencing early brain development in schizophrenia.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of birth records for 70 RDC schizophrenic patients and 70 matched controls.
  • Exclusion of preterm infants from both groups.
  • Comparison of head circumference, body weight, body length, and shoulder circumference at birth.

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Main Results:

  • Infants who developed schizophrenia had significantly smaller head circumferences than controls.
  • A disproportionately smaller head circumference relative to body length was observed in preschizophrenic infants.
  • Smaller head circumference was associated with the absence of a family history of psychosis, particularly in females.

Conclusions:

  • Findings suggest an unidentified prenatal environmental factor may negatively impact cerebral development in schizophrenia.
  • The results highlight the potential role of non-genetic influences in schizophrenia etiology.
  • Early head circumference may serve as a potential, albeit non-specific, marker for altered prenatal development.