Genetic modelling of childhood social development and personality in twins and siblings with schizophrenia.
BACKGROUND
Abnormalities in early social development and personality are present in patients with schizophrenia and their unaffected relatives. This study aimed to establish the degree to which these childhood and adolescent developmental abnormalities are genetically determined.


METHODS
We used a combined twin and family study design (n=531) to assess childhood and adolescent social adjustment and schizotypal personality traits in 98 twin pairs (n=196) varying in their zygosity and concordance for schizophrenia and 156 sibling clusters (n=335) varying in their concordance for schizophrenia.


RESULTS
Schizophrenia was significantly associated with childhood and adolescent deficits in social adjustment and personality, with additive genetic effects being the main source of these phenotypic correlations.


CONCLUSIONS
Abnormalities of social adjustment and personality are present in children and adolescents who later develop schizophrenia, reflecting the influence of common genetic risk.
Division of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK. marco.picchioni@iop.kcl.ac.uk
M M
MM
Picchioni
M
M
Walshe
T
T
Toulopoulou
C
C
McDonald
M
M
Taylor
S
S
Waters-Metenier
E
E
Bramon
A
A
Regojo
R M
RM
Murray
F
F
Rijsdijk
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002605:Character; D002648:Child; D004200:Diseases in Twins / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008957:Models, Genetic; D010552:Personality Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012569:Schizotypal Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012931:Social Environment; D055815:Young Adult