title: Low maternal retinol as a risk factor for schizophrenia in adult offspring.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prenatal micronutrient deficiency has been linked to later development of schizophrenia among offspring; however, no study has specifically investigated the association between vitamin A and this disorder. Vitamin A is an essential nutrient which is required by the early embryo and fetus for gene expression and regulation, cell differentiation, proliferation and migration. Previous work suggests that vitamin A deficiency in the second trimester may be particularly relevant to the etiopathogenesis of neurobehavioral phenotypes some of which are observed in schizophrenia.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined whether low maternal vitamin A levels in the second trimester are associated with the risk of schizophrenia and other schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) in the Prenatal Determinants of Schizophrenia study; third trimester vitamin A levels were also examined in relation to SSD. The cases were derived from a population-based birth cohort; all cohort members belonged to a prepaid health plan. Archived maternal serum samples were assayed for vitamin A in cases (N=55) and up to 2 controls per case (N=106) matched on length of membership in the health plan, date of birth (±28 days), sex, and gestational timing and availability of archived maternal sera.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For the second trimester, low maternal vitamin A, defined as values in the lowest tertile of the distribution among controls, was associated with a greater than threefold increased risk of SSD, adjusting for maternal education and age (OR=3.04, 95% CI=1.06, 8.79, p=.039). No association between third trimester maternal vitamin A and SSD was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although further investigations are warranted, this is the first birth cohort study to our knowledge to report an association between low maternal vitamin A levels and SSD among offspring.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors.forename: YuanYuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.forename: Ghionul
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ibram
authors.forename: William S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Blaner
authors.forename: Charles P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Quesenberry
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Ian W
authors.initials: IW
authors.lastname: McKeague
authors.forename: Catherine A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Schaefer
authors.forename: Ezra S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Susser
authors.forename: Alan S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D032721:Adult Children; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second / Q000097:blood; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult