title: The neurodevelopmental hypothesis of schizophrenia: convergent clues from epidemiology and neuropathology.
abstract: The neurodevelopmental hypothesis of schizophrenia suggests that the disruption of early brain development increases the risk of later developing schizophrenia. This hypothesis focuses attention on critical periods of early brain development. From an epidemiologic perspective, various prenatal and perinatal risk factors have been linked to schizophrenia, including exposures related to infection, nutrition, and obstetric complications. From a genetic perspective, candidate genes have also been linked to altered brain development. In recent decades evidence from neuropathology has provided support for the neurodevelopmental hypothesis. Animal models involving early life exposures have been linked to changes in these same brain systems, providing convergent evidence for this long-standing hypothesis.
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Science, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piper
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beneyto
authors.forename: Thomas H J
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Burne
authors.forename: Darryl W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Eyles
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: John J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: McGrath
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010331:Paternal Age; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology