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Preventable schizophrenia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 March 2020

A. Gómez Peinado
Affiliation:
HNSPS, Psiquiatria, Albacete, Spain
P. Cano Ruiz
Affiliation:
HNSPS, Psiquiatria, Albacete, Spain

Abstract

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Introduction

Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder with multiple causes, including genetic, immune, environmental causes of various kinds, which all increase the vulnerability and predisposition to the disorder. Among them stand out prenatal infections, thus being a preventable risk potential factor in our daily clinical practice.

Objectives

To analyze the relation between prenatal infections and schizophrenia.

Methods

Review of the subject and recent articles on schizophrenia in psychiatric guides and magazines.

Results

After analyzing several studies, it have shown that prenatal infections, where the nervous system is not yet fully developed, may be a risk factor for the development of schizophrenia in adults, in relation with genetically predisposed individuals. Infections such as influenza, especially during the first quarter of gestation; rubella, toxoplasma and herpes simplex virus-type 2 are related to potentially increase risk of suffer schizophrenia.

Conclusions

Prenatal infections, especially in the first quarter and the periconceptional period, constitute a risk factor in individuals with vulnerability to develop schizophrenia. Awareness and prevention is important in the pregnant population of the influence of these infections on the possible origin of psychotic episodes.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Type
EV1192
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association 2016

References

Further readings

Babulas, V, Factor-Litvak, P, Goetz, R, et al. Prenatal exposure to maternal genital and reproductive infections and adult schizophrenia. Am J Psychiatry 2006;163(5):927–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Brown, AS, Susser, ES In utero infection and adult schizophrenia. Ment Retard Dev Disabil Res Rev 2002;8(1):51–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
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