DOES INFLUENZA CAUSE SCHIZOPHRENIA - A 5-YEAR REVIEW

Over the last five years a body of literature has been generated conce rning whether or not prenatal exposure to influenza results in an incr eased risk of developing schizophrenia in the exposed offspring. The s tudies are reviewed with respect to the traditional epidemiological cr iteria that help to define causality. There is a modest degree of cons istency in support of an association between the 1957 influenza epidem ic - and less so, for influenza epidemics in general - and later schiz ophrenia. Two cohort studies examining the 1957 epidemic do not suppor t an association. The strength and specificity of the association rema in weak. The proposed association draws coherence from the neurodevelo pmental hypothesis of schizophrenia. Suggestions are made for future r esearch that could add to our understanding of the putative associatio n between influenza and schizophrenia.