title: Increased prevalence and earlier onset of mood disorders among relatives of prepubertal versus adult probands.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the familial clustering of affective disorders among first-degree relatives of prepubertal versus adult probands with mood disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Family History-Research Diagnostic Criteria (FH-RDC) assessment instrument was used to obtain data on first-degree relatives of all probands. Logistic regression was used to assess the strength of the age of the proband to predict FH-RDC diagnoses in relatives. Survival analysis was used to examine the age-at-onset distribution of first FH-RDC diagnosis while controlling for year of birth.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of major affective disorders was more than two times higher among first-degree relatives of child probands versus those of adult probands even when controlling for birth cohort. Cumulative risk for lifetime major mood disorders in first-degree relatives of child probands was significantly higher than for those of adult probands.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These analyses further support that ascertainment of families through affected children identifies pedigrees with a higher proportion of affected relatives than ascertainment through affected adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Neuman
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Geller
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Todd
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D015988:Cohort Effect; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology