SEX-DIFFERENCES IN SCHIZOPHRENIA - EPIDEMIOLOGY, GENETICS AND THE BRAIN

The identification of sex differences in schizophrenia is not new, sin ce even Kraepelin described dementia praecox: as a disorder primarily afflicting young men (Kraepelin, 1893). Since then, the literature has shown that schizophrenic men and women differ in terms of age at onse t, symptom expression, neurobiological factors, course, treatment resp onse, incidence and familial transmission. More controversial is the l iterature on sex differences in cognition and structural brain abnorma lities in schizophrenia. However, many investigators would now agree t hat sex modifies the phenotypic expression of schizophrenia. It remain s a testable hypothesis whether sex is a risk factor, i.e. has etiolog ical consequences for the illness. This review will summarize the lite rature on sex differences in the epidemiology, genetics and the brain in schizophrenia. That is, what are the differences in the phenomenolo gy of the disorder? Do they impact the incidence and/or prevalence? Ho w have investigators attempted to explain sex differences in terms of genetic transmission and the neuroanatomy of schizophrenia?.