Research from Harvard finds that prenatal and family environment disruptions are elevated in families of people with schizophrenia diagnoses, supporting the authors’ (including noted researcher Ming Tsuang) proposed theory that “biological and social environmental influences across critical developmental periods points to key issues relevant for enhanced identification of psychosis susceptibility, facilitation of more precise models of illness risk, and development of novel prevention strategies.”
Walder, D., Faraone, S., Glatt, S., Tsuang, M., Seidman, L.; Genetic liability, prenatal health, stress and family environment: Risk factors in the Harvard Adolescent Family High Risk for Schizophrenia Study. Schizophrenia Research. Online May 16, 2014. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2014.04.015
From the study’s conclusions:
“Prenatal and family environmental disruptions are elevated in families with a first-degree relative with schizophrenia. Findings support our proposed ‘polygenic neurodevelopmental diathesis–stress model’ whereby psychosis susceptibility (and resilience) involves the independent and synergistic confluence of (temporally-sensitive) biological and environmental factors across development. Recognition of biological and social environmental influences across critical developmental periods points to key issues relevant for enhanced identification of psychosis susceptibility, facilitation of more precise models of illness risk, and development of novel prevention strategies.
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