ANTECEDENTS OF NEUROSIS IN A COHORT OF 30,344 TWINS IN SWEDEN

We analyzed questionnaire survey responses in a cohort of 30,344 twins in Sweden, 280 of whom became inpatients due to neurosis within the s ubsequent 10 years. As a group, they differed substantially in their r eported health profile from the survey responders who were not admitte d for psychiatric treatment. When subclassified into anxiety, depressi ve, and other neuroses, these were indistinguishable from each other r egarding self-perceived health and personality traits. Women were more likely to be hospitalized for neurosis. These mental and social antec edents for both anxiety and depression are in keeping with the concept of a shared diathesis which is supported by neurophysiological, treat ment and genetic epidemiological studies. (C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.