PSYCHIATRIC MORBIDITY IN THE FIRST-DEGREE RELATIVES OF SCHIZOPHRENIC-PATIENTS

There is increasing evidence that genetic factors play a role in the e tiology of schizophrenic disorders. One thousand eighty-nine first-deg ree relatives of schizophrenics and 1,137 controls were studied to dis cover their psychiatric morbidity. Psychiatric morbidity was found in 16.34% of the first-degree relatives (FDR) of schizophrenics (parents, 5.69%; siblings, 7.71%; offspring, 2.94%) as compared to 6.9% in the controls (P < 0.001). Schizophrenia was found in 8.3% of the patient g roup, which was significantly higher (0.2%) as compared to the control s. Schizoid-schizotypal personality disorder was found in 3.03% of FDR s of the schizophrenic group. Depressive disorder was found in 4.4% an d 2.1% in the control and patient group, respectively, which was stati stically significant. Morbidity risk of schizophrenia was found in 16. 97%, 6.22% and 5.79% of schizophrenia, schizoid-schizotypal personalit y disorder and depressive disorder, respectively, in the FDR of schizo phrenic group. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.