THE NITHSDALE SCHIZOPHRENIA SURVEYS .12. NEURODEVELOPMENTAL SCHIZOPHRENIA - A SEARCH FOR CLINICAL CORRELATES AND PUTATIVE ETIOLOGIC FACTORS

Background. The aim was to examine in a population of schizophrenic pa tients the clinical correlates of 'neurodevelopmental' schizophrenia a nd their relationship to putative aetiological factors. Method. Premor bid social adjustment, premorbid schizoid and schizotypal personality traits, and the obstetric history of 40 schizophrenic patients and the ir 102 sibs were assessed through interviews with their mothers. Patie nts' premorbid level of intelligence was assessed by the National Adul t Reading Test and current symptoms by the Positive and Negative Syndr ome Scale and the Subjective Deficit Syndrome Scale. Results. Patients had more schizoid and schizotypal traits than their sibs. They showed a deterioration in social adjustment between childhood and adolescenc e; sibs' social adjustment improved. There were statistically signific ant associations between current negative schizophrenic symptoms, prem orbid deterioration in social adjustment, and schizoid and schizotypal personality traits, and between an early age of onset of illness and the same premorbid assessments. There was no evidence that patients wi th a family history of severe mental illness leading to hospitalisatio n, or a history of definite obstetric complications, had poorer premor bid functioning or more severe current symptoms. Conclusions. We have confirmed clinical correlates of 'neurodevelopmental' schizophrenia bu t found no association between these and obstetric complications or a family history of severe mental disorder.