THE IMPACT OF GENDER AND AGE AT ONSET ON THE FAMILIAL AGGREGATION OF SCHIZOPHRENIA

Some recent family studies have shown that the familial risk for schiz ophrenia is higher in female than in male schizophrenics. It is debate d whether the risks for the other disorders, such as schizotypal perso nality disorder or affective disorders in families of schizophrenics a re similarly influenced by the proband's gender. Also, the reason for the effect of proband's gender on the recurrence risk for schizophreni a has not been clarified. This family study (159 probands, 589 first d egree relatives) confirms that schizophrenia, but also schizophrenia s pectrum disorders were more frequent in families of female compared wi th male schizophrenics. Neither age at onset in probands nor the inter action between gender and age at onset in probands had a relevant impa ct on the risk figures in relatives. Affective disorders occurred in f amilies independently of the probands' gender. Aetiological heterogene ity or ascertainment bias may account for the modifying effect of prob and's gender in schizophrenia.