August 2005
People born during a famine in China have an increased risk of schizophrenia. This latest finding is consistent with previous research suggesting a link between fetal nutritional deficiency and schizophrenia, according to a study in the August 3 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on violence and human rights.
Schizophrenia is a severe mental health disorder characterized by thought disorder, hallucinations, and delusions. Patients also eshibit poor social functioning and social withdrawal. The disorder is distributed worldwide with a lifetime risk of about 1 percent. Scientists increasingly view schizophrenia as a "neurodevelopmental disorder" - suggesting that environmental influences (such as nutrition) during early brain development may play a role. Fetal nutritional deficiency is one of the factors that has been mentioned. A previous study found that there was twice the risk of schizophrenia among children conceived during a food shortage in Holland in 1944-1945.
The current study examined people who lived through a massive famine in China from 1959-1961. Schizophrenia rates were compared among those born before, during, and after the famine years. All psychiatric case records for the years 1971 through 2001 were examined.
The researchers found that birth rates (per 1,000) decreased 80 percent during the famine years from 28.28 in 1958 and 20.97 in 1959 to 8.61 in 1960 and 11.06 in 1961. Among births that occurred during the famine years, the risk of developing schizophrenia in later life increased from 0.84 percent in 1959 to 2.15 percent in 1960 and 1.81 percent in 1961.
The death-adjusted risk was 2.3 times higher for those born in 1960 and 1.9 times higher for those born in 1961, supporting the view that prenatal exposure to famine increases the risk of schizophrenia in later life. If you are pregnant, this is one more reason to eat well and take any vitamins that your doctor orders.
Reference: JAMA. 2005; 294:557-562
Last edited 11/5/05
