Correlation and familial aggregation of dimensions of psychosis in affected sibling pairs from China.
BACKGROUND
A number of studies with conflicting results have examined the familiality of schizophrenia syndromes in Western populations.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to determine, using clinical data from concordant sibling pairs, whether symptom dimensions and other clinical characteristics of schizophrenia show familial aggregation and are therefore potentially useful traits in genetic studies.


METHODS
We measured clinical and demographic features, and symptom dimensions of schizophrenia in 137 families from China who had two or more affected members with schizophrenia. Within-sibling pair correlation was assessed with intraclass correlation coefficient and kappa statistics.


RESULTS
Global functioning, positive, disorganisation and dysphoric symptoms, premorbid schizotypal and schizoid traits, premorbid social adjustment, type and age at illness onset all showed significant evidence of familial aggregation. DSM-IV schizophrenia subtypes were also found to be familial.


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first study in a large non-European population to confirm that schizophrenia dimensions and clinical characteristics show significant familiality, implying possible heritability. This supports their use in the delineation of homogeneous subsets for future genetic studies.
Vassos
Evangelos
E
King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Division of Psychological Medicine & Psychiatry, London, UK.
Sham
Pak C
PC
Cai
Guiqing
G
Deng
Hong
H
Liu
Xiehe
X
Sun
Xueli
X
Zhao
Jinghua
J
Murray
Robin M
RM
Collier
David A
DA
Li
Tao
T
D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010375:Pedigree; D010641:Phenotype; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000235:genetics*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D035781:Siblings; D012917:Social Adjustment