Growth trajectory during early life and risk of adult schizophrenia.
BACKGROUND
Growth abnormalities have been suggested as a precursor to schizophrenia, but previous studies have not assessed growth patterns using repeated measures.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the association between early life/later childhood growth patterns and risk of schizophrenia.


METHODS
Using prospectively collected data from a birth cohort (born 1959-1967), measurements of height, weight and body mass index (BMI) were analysed to compare growth patterns during early life and later childhood between 70 individuals with schizophrenia-spectrum disorder (SSD) and 7710 without.


RESULTS
For women, growth in the SSD group was approximately 1 cm/year slower during early life (P < 0.01); no association was observed for men. Later childhood growth was not associated with SSD. Weight patterns were not associated with SSD, whereas slower change in BMI was observed among the SSD group during later childhood.


CONCLUSIONS
The association between slower growth in early life and schizophrenia in women suggests that factors responsible for regulating growth might be important in the pathogenesis of the disorder.
The Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, 140 Old Orangeburg Road, Orangeburg, New York 10962, USA. mperrin@nki.rfmh.org
Megan A
MA
Perrin
Henian
H
Chen
David E
DE
Sandberg
Dolores
D
Malaspina
Alan S
AS
Brown
D000328:Adult; D001827:Body Height / Q000235:genetics; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006128:Growth / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000209:etiology*; D012737:Sex Factors
D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I