title: Adolescent development of psychosis as an outcome of hearing impairment: a 10-year longitudinal study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It has long been acknowledged that hearing impairment may increase the risk for psychotic experiences. Recent work suggests that young people in particular may be at risk, indicating a possible developmental mechanism.
  
  
  METHODS
  The hypothesis that individuals exposed to hearing impairment in early adolescence would display the highest risk for psychotic symptoms was examined in a prospective cohort study of a population sample of originally 3021 adolescents and young adults aged 14-24 years at baseline, in Munich, Germany (Early Developmental Stages of Psychopathology Study). The expression of psychosis was assessed at multiple time points over a period of up to 10 years, using a diagnostic interview (Munich Composite International Diagnostic Interview; CIDI) administered by clinical psychologists.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hearing impairment was associated with CIDI psychotic symptoms [odds ratio (OR) 2.04, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.10-3.81], particularly more severe psychotic symptoms (OR 5.66, 95% CI 1.64-19.49). The association between hearing impairment and CIDI psychotic symptoms was much stronger in the youngest group aged 14-17 years at baseline (OR 3.28, 95% CI 1.54-7.01) than in the older group aged 18-24 years at baseline (OR 0.82, 95% CI 0.24-2.84).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The finding of an age-specific association between hearing impairment and psychotic experiences suggests that disruption of development at a critical adolescent phase, in interaction with other personal and social vulnerabilities, may increase the risk for psychotic symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, South Limburg Mental Health Research and Teaching Network, EURON Graduate School of Neuroscience, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands. m.vanderwerf@sp.unimaas.nl
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van der Werf
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Thewissen
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Dominguez
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lieb
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wittchen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van Os
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D041923:Adolescent Development; D017668:Age of Onset; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult