Predictors of schizophrenia: evidence from the Northern Finland 1966 Birth Cohort and other sources.
BACKGROUND
Subtle motor, emotional, cognitive and behavioural abnormalities are often present in apparently healthy individuals who later develop schizophrenia, suggesting that some aspects of causation are established before overt psychosis.


OBJECTIVE
To outline the development of schizophrenia.


METHODS
We drew on evidence from The Northern Finland 1966 Birth Cohort supplemented by selected findings from other relevant literature.


RESULTS
The main known risk factors in development of schizophrenia are genetic causes, pregnancy and delivery complications, slow neuromotor development, and deviant cognitive and academic performance. However, their effect size and predictive power are small.


CONCLUSIONS
No powerful risk factor, premorbid sign or risk indicator has been identified that is useful for the prediction of schizophrenia in the general population.
Isohanni
Matti
M
Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu, PO Box 5000, Finland. matti.isohanni@oulu.fi
Lauronen
Erika
E
Moilanen
Kristiina
K
Isohanni
Irene
I
Kemppainen
Liisa
L
Koponen
Hannu
H
Miettunen
Jouko
J
Mäki
Pirjo
P
Räsänen
Sami
S
Veijola
Juha
J
Tienari
Pekka
P
Wahlberg
Karl-Erik
KE
Murray
Graham K
GK
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012737:Sex Factors