Early-life origins of schizotypal traits in adulthood.
BACKGROUND
Although schizotypal traits, such as anhedonia and aberrant perceptions, may increase the risk for schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, little is known about early-life characteristics that predict more pronounced schizotypal traits.


OBJECTIVE
To examine whether birth size or several other early-life factors that have been previously linked with schizophrenia predict schizotypal traits in adulthood.


METHODS
Participants of the Northern Finland 1966 Birth Cohort Study (n = 4976) completed a questionnaire on positive and negative schizotypal traits at the age of 31 years.


RESULTS
Lower placental weight, lower birth weight and smaller head circumference at 12 months predicted elevated positive schizotypal traits in women after adjusting for several confounders (P<0.02). Moreover, higher gestational age, lower childhood family socioeconomic status, undesirability of pregnancy, winter/autumn birth, higher birth order and maternal smoking during pregnancy predicted some augmented schizotypal traits in women, some in men and some in both genders.


CONCLUSIONS
The results point to similarities in the aetiology of schitzotypal traits and schizophrenia-spectrum disorders.
Lahti
Jari
J
Department of Psychology, University of Helsinki, FI 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland. jari.lahti@helsinki.fi
Raïkkönen
Katri
K
Sovio
Ulla
U
Miettunen
Jouko
J
Hartikainen
Anna-Liisa
AL
Pouta
Anneli
A
Taanila
Anja
A
Joukamaa
Matti
M
Järvelin
Marjo-Riitta
MR
Veijola
Juha
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001722:Birth Order; D001724:Birth Weight; D049628:Body Size; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D010920:Placenta / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000523:psychology*; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000453:epidemiology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012569:Schizotypal Personality Disorder / Q000209:etiology*; D012621:Seasons; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires