Doctoral dissertation investigates early risk factors for schizophrenia (23/05/01)
June, 1st, the psychiatrist Christina Dalman defends her doctoral thesis at the Medical Faculty of Gothenburg University. The title of the dissertation is "Early life risk factors for schizophrenia- studies of foetal and perinatal complications".

Several investigations have been performed previously to study the association between obstetric complications and schizophrenia. In the present study 524 schizophrenic patients were compared to a control group about twice that size. The National Inpatient Register was used in the study.

Four types of risk factors were investigated:
1. foetal malnutrition/ growth impairment
2. prematurity
3. signs of asphyxia at birth
4. jaundice

An increased risk of schizophrenia was associated to all these four groups, a conclusion which is supported by other studies of early life risk factors.

Dalman reports of an increased risk for psychotic mothers to have obstetric complications.

The risk of schizophrenia associated with obstetric complications was not modified by gender, age at onset of illness or the presence of maternal psychotic illness. Dalman proposes that even larger studies should be performed to further investigate interaction effects.

Read an interview with Christina Dalman at "Dagens Nyheter" website
Read an abstract of the dissertation

More on obstetric complications and schizophrenia

Professor Thomas McNeil is a dean of research who has demonstrated the importance of the neonatal period as a risk factor for development of schizophrenia later in life. He has been presented at the Hubin website.
Read more about Thomas McNeil