genetics and mental illness

[veritysims]

I recently discovered that a family member (1st cousin) has been diagnosed with schizophrenia. I have two children and obviously i have concerns over their genetic vulnerability to this illness. ive read websites but the stats dont mean much and the causes all seem a bit vague. Ive read that c-section babies are more likely to develop sch. Both my kids were c- section born and so was my cousin. Is there any evidence that it can be blamed on 'bad parenting'. What can I do to prevent it in my kids. My cousin had a comfortable childhood with no obvious trauma at home. (although i believe he was bullied at school)

[Tracee]

RESPONSE PART 1 :)

Please do not worry about yourself or your children. You cannot control whether or not someone is affected, and I cannot understand where this idea about a C-section increasing risk has come from. Anyone?

Schizophrenia has many forms and affects every person differently. I'd suggest you read up on the condition, learn about case studies and try to understand the different types, possible causes and so on.

There is evidence that shows S. is in part genetic. However most experts would say that it is only a PREDISPOSITION that is inherited. Environmental factors can never be ruled out. It is entirely possible someone with NO history of the condition in their family will be affected at some point in their lives.

Ok now for the figures..taken from nchpeg.org:

Parent of individual with schizophrenia: 5-10% risk
Sibling of individual with schizophrenia: 8-14% risk
Offspring of individual with schizophrenia: 9-16% risk
Offspring of two parents with schizophrenia: 46% risk
Uncle or aunt of individual with schizophrenia: 2%
Nephew or niece of individual with schizophrenia: 1-4%
Grandchildren of individual with schizophrenia: 2-8%
Half-sibling of individual with schizophrenia: 4%
First cousin of individual with schizophrenia: 2-6%

MZ twin concordance: 40-60% (monozygotic/identical)
DZ twin concordance: 10-16% (dizyzygotic)

[Tracee]

PART 2 :)

I began studying S. after my uncle was diagnosed and I understand your fear for your family. The figures in my text books are taken from a 1978 Gottesman study are slightly different to the above. His results state that a first-degree relative (parent-child, siblings) has a 12% chance, increased to 40% if both parents were affected. Cousins, neices and nephews were found to be at a 2-3% risk.

Gosh I wanted to put your mind at ease but I have probably just confused you.

Go to your library, read all you can, and don't beat yourself up with worry. Genetics can't be the sole factor or MZ twin concordance would be 100%, right? Just found this in my books: Gottesman's later study in '91 found that 2/3 of Schizophrenics had NO relatives with similar problems. This proves there are other contributing factors e.g. brain abnormalities, biochemical & sociocultural.

A supportive family is important of course - read up on 'expressed emotion' and relapse - and just the fact you are asking these questions shows your concern. I hope the very small %s found in the studies quoted have helped ease your fears a little. It is such a complicated condition, the only way you will come to your own judgement is to read about it yourself.

Best wishes, and sorry for the gigantic posts.

[Scarlett]

I don't believe for a minute that bad parenting has anything to do with schizophrenia. I believe it is a brain disorder, basically. I teach many people with schizophrenia, and many of them have got it from over use of "recreational" drugs. It seems that they have interfered and altered the chemical balances of the brain, irreversibly, which causes problems.

[veritysims]

thanks for your posts. ive done a bit of research and am fascinated by the different theories on the causes of s. ive been reading about expressed emotion and the old ideas about schizophrenogenic mothers. my friend's brother also suffers from paranoid schizophrenia and ive been trying to make correlatsions between their childhoods. The main similarities are they both had absent fathers, were bullied at school and they both have mothers who fret alot. i suppose it could just be a coincidence. Other 'contributing factors' i have read about are having a different blood group to your mother, mother having flu during pregnancy and being exposed to cats.i think its a very interesting topic (although a very sad one too) i really feel for both those who suffer from schizophrenia and their parents. it must be horrendous to see the child u love be taken over by such a cruel illness.