Cumulative incidence of mental disorders among offspring of mothers with psychotic disorder. Results from the Helsinki High-Risk Study.
BACKGROUND
The Helsinki High-Risk Study follows up all women born between 1916 and 1948 and treated for schizophrenia-spectrum disorders in psychiatric hospitals in Helsinki, their offspring born between 1960 and 1964, and controls.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the cumulative incidence of adulthood Axis I disorders among offspring.


METHODS
Using all hospital and out-patient treatment records we rediagnosed parents and offspring according to DSM-IV-TR criteria. Offspring were grouped by mother's diagnosis (schizophrenia n=104, schizoaffective disorder n=20, other schizophrenia-spectrum disorder n=30, and affective disorder n=25) and compared with a control group (n=176). The cumulative incidences of Axis I disorders among offspring were calculated.


RESULTS
The cumulative incidences of any psychotic disorder were 13.5%, 10.0%, 10.0%, 4.0% and 1.1% among offspring of mothers with schizophrenia, schizo-affective disorder, other schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, affective disorders and controls, respectively. The corresponding figures for schizophrenia were 6.7%, 5.0%, 6.7%, 0% and 0.6%, and for any mental disorder 23.1%, 20.0%, 20.0%, 12.0% and 6.9%.


CONCLUSIONS
Offspring of mothers with a psychotic disorder have heightened risk of developing a wide range of severe mental disorders.
Niemi
Laura T
LT
Department of Mental Health and Alcohol Research, KTL, National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland. laura.niemi@ktl.fi
Suvisaari
Jaana M
JM
Haukka
Jari K
JK
Wrede
Gunnel
G
Lönnqvist
Jouko K
JK
D000328:Adult; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics; D016019:Survival Analysis