(Press-News.org) Contact information: Stephanie Burns
sburns@bmj.com
44-020-738-36920
BMJ-British Medical Journal
Losing a family member in childhood associated with psychotic illness
Highest risk seen in children who experience suicide in close family members
Experiencing a family death in childhood is associated with a small but significant increase in risk of psychosis, suggests a paper published today on bmj.com.
The researchers say that the risks are highest for children who have experienced a suicide in the 'nuclear family' (brothers, sisters, parents).
Previous studies have concluded that the risk of adult disease can be influenced by genetics, lifestyle and environmental experience. There is also evidence that maternal psychological stress adversely affects the development of the fetus.
Population studies have so far provided weak support for an association between prenatal maternal psychological stress and later psychosis. Researchers from the UK, US and Sweden therefore set out to examine the association between deaths in the family as a form of severe stress to the individual and subsequent psychosis. Data were taken from Statistics Sweden and the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare and children born between 1973 and 1985 in Sweden.
Definitions of psychosis were: non-affective psychosis (including schizophrenia) and affective psychosis (bipolar disorder with psychosis and unipolar depression with psychosis).
Exposure periods were divided into 'any exposure' (all pre and postnatal); 'any prenatal' (prior to birth) and 'any postnatal' (birth up to 13 years of age) and further subdivided by trimester (first, second, third) and by three year periods in childhood between birth and 13 years of age (0-2.9 years; 3-6.9 years and 7-12.9 years). If more than one exposure occurred during the study period, priority was given to the earliest exposure.
Death was categorised into suicide, fatal injury / accident and others (such as cancers and cardiac arrests).
Models were adjusted for year of birth, child sex, maternal and paternal age, maternal and paternal nationality, parental socioeconomic status and history of any psychiatric illness in the family.
The final number of children included in the study was 946,994. Altogether, 321,249 (33%) children were exposed to a family death before the age of 13. Of individuals exposed to any death during the study period, 1323 (0.4%) developed a non-affective psychosis while 556 (0.17%) developed an effective psychosis. 11,117 children were exposed to death from suicide, 15,189 from accidents and the majority, 280,172 to deaths due to natural causes.
No increased risk of psychosis was seen following exposure in any prenatal period. Postnatally, an increased risk of 'all psychosis' was associated with deaths in the nuclear family and risk increased the earlier in childhood the death occurred.
Risks associated with exposure to suicide were higher compared with exposure to deaths from accidents which in turn were higher than risks associated with other deaths from natural causes.
The largest risk was seen in children exposed ages 0-3 years and risks reduced as age of exposure increased.
Professor Kathryn Abel, from the Centre for Women's Mental Health at The University of Manchester, said: "Our research shows childhood exposure to death of a parent or sibling is associated with excess risk of developing a psychotic illness later in life. This is particularly associated with early childhood exposure. Further investigation is now required and future studies should consider "the broader contexts of parental suicide and parental loss in non-western, ethnically diverse populations."
###
Research: Severe bereavement stress during the prenatal and childhood periods and risk of psychosis in later life: population based cohort study
Losing a family member in childhood associated with psychotic illness
Highest risk seen in children who experience suicide in close family members
2014-01-22
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Fast eye movements: A possible indicator of more impulsive decision-making
2014-01-22
Fast eye movements: A possible indicator of more impulsive decision-making
Using a simple study of eye movements, Johns Hopkins scientists report evidence that people who are less patient tend to move their eyes with greater speed. The findings, the researchers say, ...
Most high-risk cardiac devices in use today approved as modifications to previously-approved devices
2014-01-22
Most high-risk cardiac devices in use today approved as modifications to previously-approved devices
Device 'supplement' applications are generally not accompanied by new clinical testing, with implications for patient safety
Boston – The Food and Drug Administration ...
New sequencing tools give up close look at yeast evolution
2014-01-22
New sequencing tools give up close look at yeast evolution
Highlights in this week's Molecular Biology and Evolution
The baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been associated with human activities for thousands of ...
All FDA drug approvals not created equal
2014-01-22
All FDA drug approvals not created equal
Many patients and physicians assume that the safety and effectiveness of newly approved drugs is well understood by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) —but a new study by researchers at Yale School of Medicine shows ...
Hedges and edges help pigeons learn their way around
2014-01-22
Hedges and edges help pigeons learn their way around
A study has found that homing pigeons' ability to remember routes depends on the complexity of the landscape below, with hedges and boundaries between urban and rural areas ...
Large amounts of folic acid shown to promote growth of breast cancer in rats
2014-01-22
Large amounts of folic acid shown to promote growth of breast cancer in rats
Role of folate in development, progression of breast cancer highly controversial
TORONTO, Jan. 21, 2014---Folic acid supplements at levels consumed by breast cancer patients and survivors ...
Cochrane Review of dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine
2014-01-22
Cochrane Review of dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine
Cochrane review of dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine for treating uncomplicated malaria
'Dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine is more effective than artemether-lumefantrine, and has fewer side effects than artesunate-mefloquine' ...
Researchers identify innate channel that protects against pain
2014-01-22
Researchers identify innate channel that protects against pain
Scientists have identified a channel present in many pain detecting sensory neurons that acts as a 'brake', limiting spontaneous pain. It is hoped that the new research, published today ...
Study: Electric drive vehicles have little impact on US pollutant emissions
2014-01-22
Study: Electric drive vehicles have little impact on US pollutant emissions
A new study from North Carolina State University indicates that even a sharp increase in the use of electric drive passenger vehicles (EDVs) by 2050 would not significantly reduce ...
Study: 'Icy' technique improves robotic kidney transplants
2014-01-22
Study: 'Icy' technique improves robotic kidney transplants
DETROIT – A collaboration of surgeons at Henry Ford Hospital and Medanta Hospital in India successfully transplanted kidneys into 50 recipients using an innovative robot-assisted procedure in which ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Milken Institute, Ann Theodore Foundation announce more than $2.5 million in new funding for sarcoidosis research and launch new call for proposals
Boston University professor to receive 2025 Eugene Braunwald Academic Mentorship Award
Pusan National University researchers reveal how forest soil properties influence arsenic mobility and toxicity in soil organisms
Korea University researchers find sweet taste cells resist nerve damage through c-Kit protein
HealthFORCE, AAPA, and West Health release “Aging Well with AI” – first in a two part series on AI and the healthcare workforce
The real reasons Endurance sank — study finds Shackleton knew of ship’s shortcomings
Marine heatwaves have hidden impacts on ocean food webs and carbon cycling
Order from disordered proteins
Rocket test proves bacteria survive space launch and re-entry unharmed
New wheat diversity discovery could provide an urgently-needed solution to global food security
Could reducing inflammation help combat fatigue in people with early-stage breast cancer?
Traumatic brain injuries in older adults linked to increased risk of dementia
New intervention helps pediatricians promote early peanut introduction to prevent peanut allergy
New survey: Most Americans believe plasma donation saves lives, yet few have donated
New tools boost pediatricians’ adherence to peanut allergy guidelines 15-fold
Research unearths origins of Ancient Egypt’s Karnak Temple
Reevaluating nonoperative management for pediatric uncomplicated acute appendicitis
Metabolically active visceral fat linked to aggressive endometrial cancer, new study reveals
Scientists glimpse how enzymes “dance” while they work, and why that’s important
California partnership aided COVID-19 response and health equity, report finds
University of Oklahoma secures $19.9 million for revolutionary radar technology
Study finds restoring order to dividing cancer cells may prevent metastasis
High-accuracy tumor detection with label-free microscopy and neural networks
Wayne State research reveals fetuses exposed to Zika virus have long-term immune challenges
Researchers deconstruct chikungunya outbreaks to improve prediction and vaccine development
Study finds one-year change on CT scans linked to future outcomes in fibrotic lung disease
Discovery of a novel intracellular trafficking pathway in plant cells
New tool helps forecast volcano slope collapses and tsunamis
Molecular coating cleans up noisy quantum light
From Parkinson's to rare diseases, discovered a key switch for cellular health
[Press-News.org] Losing a family member in childhood associated with psychotic illnessHighest risk seen in children who experience suicide in close family members