MATERNAL INFLUENZA DURING PREGNANCY AS A RISK FACTOR IN SCHIZOPHRENIA

The observation of a seasonal effect in the distribution of births in patients presenting schizophrenia, produced several etiopathogenic the ories, among which the infectious hypothesis, and move particularly th e role of maternal infection with influenza during pregnancy, seems to be the most plausible explanation according to the epidemiological, c linical and biological accumulated arguments. The majority of the epid emiological studies conducted in different countries reported an assoc iation between in utero exposure to influenza and increased risk of la ter schizophrenia in the exposed offspring. The modalities of the path ogenic action of influenza are not again clarified, the neurodevelopme ntal hypothesis currently discussed being that, among mothers genetica lly predisposed, a maternal antibody could be responsible of an auto-i mmune reaction detrimental for the fetal brain.