The Search for Genetic Linkage in Schizophrenia

Enormous industry has been devoted during the last half-century to establishing the genetic contribution to the aetiology of schizophrenia. Demonstration of a familial concentration of the disorder among the blood relatives of schizophrenics is supported by the differential concordance for schizophr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:British journal of psychiatry 1982-05, Vol.140 (5), p.532-537
Main Author: Watt, David C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
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Female
Genetic Linkage
Genetic Markers
Humans
Male
Mental Disorders - genetics
Schizophrenia - genetics
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Summary:Enormous industry has been devoted during the last half-century to establishing the genetic contribution to the aetiology of schizophrenia. Demonstration of a familial concentration of the disorder among the blood relatives of schizophrenics is supported by the differential concordance for schizophrenia found between monozygotic and dizygotic twins (Slater and Cowie, 1971; Gottesman and Shields, 1972; Shields, 1978). An alternative explanation offered was that the high familial incidence of schizophrenia was accounted for by the influence of a schizophrenic parent, particularly mother, or a sibling, or by a schizophrenogenic family configuration or pattern of communication. This speculation has been dispelled, however, by the brilliant series of studies which compared the outcome in the offspring of schizophrenics brought up at home with that of those adopted and brought up away from the schizophrenic parent (Heston and Denney, 1968; Kety et al, 1968; Rosenthal, 1970; Rosenthal et al, 1971; Wender et al 1971; Kety and Matthyse, 1972; Wender et al, 1974).
ISSN:0007-1250
1472-1465
DOI:10.1192/bjp.140.5.532