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- Experts haven’t found one specific cause of schizophrenia, so they can’t say for sure if genetics cause schizophrenia. But if you have a family history of schizophrenia — especially a parent or sibling with it — you have a much higher risk of developing this condition.
my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/4568-schizophrenia
People also ask
Is family history a risk factor for schizophrenia?
Can a family member develop schizophrenia?
Is schizophrenia inherited?
Why do some people develop schizophrenia?
Can genetic risk scores explain schizophrenia?
What are the risk factors for schizophrenia?
Jun 18, 2018 · In those patients, one study indicates, the family history of illness was weaker. The patients were more likely to be female and to have other illnesses and stresses like a history of...
- Overview
- Schizophrenia and heredity
- Other causes of schizophrenia
- What are the different types of schizophrenia?
- How is schizophrenia diagnosed?
- Takeaway
Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness classified as a psychotic disorder. Psychosis affects a person’s thinking, perceptions, and sense of self.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), schizophrenia affects approximately 1 percent of the U.S. population, slightly more males than females.
Having a first degree relative (FDR) with schizophrenia is one of the greatest risks for the disorder.
While the risk is 1 percent in the general population, having an FDR such as a parent or sibling with schizophrenia increases the risk to 10 percent.
The risk jumps to 50 percent if both parents have been diagnosed with schizophrenia, while the risk is 40 to 65 percent if an identical twin has been diagnosed with condition.
A 2017 study from Denmark based on nationwide data on over 30,000 twins estimates the heritability of schizophrenia at 79 percent.
The study concluded that, based on the risk of 33 percent for identical twins, the vulnerability for schizophrenia isn’t solely based on genetic factors.
Although the risk of schizophrenia is higher for family members, the Genetics Home Reference indicates that most people with a close relative with schizophrenia will not develop the disorder themselves.
Along with genetics, other potential causes of schizophrenia include:
•The environment. Being exposed to viruses or toxins, or experiencing malnutrition before birth, can increase the risk of schizophrenia.
•Brain chemistry. Issues with brain chemicals, such as the neurotransmitters dopamine and glutamate, may contribute to schizophrenia.
•Substance use. Teen and young adult use of mind-altering (psychoactive or psychotropic) drugs may increase the risk of schizophrenia.
Prior to 2013, schizophrenia was divided into five subtypes as separate diagnostic categories. Schizophrenia is now one diagnosis.
Although the subtypes are no longer used in clinical diagnosis, the names of the subtypes may be known for people diagnosed prior to the DSM-5 (in 2013). These classic subtypes included:
•paranoid, with symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, and disorganized speech
•hebephrenic or disorganized, with symptoms such as flat affect, speech disturbances, and disorganized thinking
•undifferentiated, with symptoms displaying behaviors applicable to more than one type
•residual, with symptoms that have lessened in intensity since a previous diagnosis
According to the DSM-5, to be diagnosed with schizophrenia, two or more of the following must be present during a 1-month period.
At least one must be numbers 1, 2, or 3 on the list:
1.delusions
2.hallucinations
3.disorganized speech
4.grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior
Research has shown that heredity or genetics can be an important contributing factor for the development of schizophrenia.
Although the exact cause of this complex disorder is unknown, people who have relatives with schizophrenia tend to have a higher risk for developing it.
- Scott Frothingham
Schizophrenia tends to run in families, but no single gene is thought to be responsible. It's more likely that different combinations of genes make people more vulnerable to the condition. However, having these genes does not necessarily mean you'll develop schizophrenia. Evidence that the disorder is partly inherited comes from studies of twins.
Family history is a long-standing and readily obtainable risk factor for schizophrenia. Low cost genotyping technologies have enabled large genetic studies of schizophrenia, and the results suggest the utility of genetic risk scores (GRS, direct assessments of inherited common variant risk).
- Y Lu, J G Pouget, O A Andreassen, S Djurovic, T Esko, C M Hultman, A Metspalu, L Milani, T Werge, P ...
- 10.1017/S0033291717002665
- 2017
- 2018/05
There's no single test for schizophrenia and the condition is usually diagnosed after assessment by a specialist in mental health. If you're concerned you may be developing symptoms of schizophrenia, see a GP as soon as possible. The earlier schizophrenia is treated, the better.
Jan 23, 2024 · Genetics is the biggest risk factor for developing schizophrenia. However, many people with the disorder don’t have a known family history of the mental illness. In addition, many people who have close relatives with the disease don’t develop it themselves.
Apr 29, 2024 · Schizophrenia is a brain disorder. If you have a relative who has schizophrenia, you may want to know if you’re at risk of inheriting it. Here’s what to know.
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