Infants at risk for psychopathology: offspring of schizophrenic parents. 1983

E Walker, and E Emory

The results of research on infants at high risk for schizophrenia (offspring of schizophrenic parents) are reviewed. The findings indicate that high-risk infants are not exposed to greater exogenous stress during the prenatal and perinatal periods, although subsequent caregiving provided by disturbed mothers may be nonoptimal. Several findings point to the existence of a constitutionally vulnerable subgroup of high-risk infants. Fetal and neonatal deaths, unrelated to obstetrical complications, may be more common among high-risk offspring, and neuromotor abnormalities are apparent in a subgroup of high-risk subjects across the life span. Moreover, there is evidence to suggest that offspring of schizophrenics are uniquely susceptible to obstetrical complications when they occur: Neuromotor deficits and other developmental deviations show a greater relationship with obstetrical complications among high-risk infants than controls. Taken together, the results lend support to the validity of interactional models of the etiology of schizophrenia and suggest that preventive intervention may be a realistic goal.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007226 Infant Mortality Postnatal deaths from BIRTH to 365 days after birth in a given population. Postneonatal mortality represents deaths between 28 days and 365 days after birth (as defined by National Center for Health Statistics). Neonatal mortality represents deaths from birth to 27 days after birth. Neonatal Mortality,Mortality, Infant,Postneonatal Mortality,Infant Mortalities,Mortalities, Infant,Mortalities, Neonatal,Mortalities, Postneonatal,Mortality, Neonatal,Mortality, Postneonatal,Neonatal Mortalities,Postneonatal Mortalities
D007231 Infant, Newborn An infant during the first 28 days after birth. Neonate,Newborns,Infants, Newborn,Neonates,Newborn,Newborn Infant,Newborn Infants
D007744 Obstetric Labor Complications Medical problems associated with OBSTETRIC LABOR, such as BREECH PRESENTATION; PREMATURE OBSTETRIC LABOR; HEMORRHAGE; or others. These complications can affect the well-being of the mother, the FETUS, or both. Complications, Labor,Labor Complications,Complication, Labor,Complication, Obstetric Labor,Complications, Obstetric Labor,Labor Complication,Labor Complication, Obstetric,Labor Complications, Obstetric,Obstetric Labor Complication
D008297 Male Males
D009034 Mother-Child Relations Interaction between a mother and child. Mother-Child Interaction,Mother-Child Relationship,Mother-Infant Interaction,Mother-Infant Relations,Interaction, Mother-Child,Interaction, Mother-Infant,Interactions, Mother-Child,Interactions, Mother-Infant,Mother Child Interaction,Mother Child Relations,Mother Child Relationship,Mother Infant Interaction,Mother Infant Relations,Mother-Child Interactions,Mother-Child Relation,Mother-Child Relationships,Mother-Infant Interactions,Mother-Infant Relation,Relation, Mother-Child,Relation, Mother-Infant,Relations, Mother-Child,Relations, Mother-Infant,Relationship, Mother-Child,Relationships, Mother-Child
D010290 Parents Persons functioning as natural, adoptive, or substitute parents. The heading includes the concept of parenthood as well as preparation for becoming a parent. Step-Parents,Parental Age,Parenthood Status,Stepparent,Age, Parental,Ages, Parental,Parent,Parental Ages,Status, Parenthood,Step Parents,Step-Parent,Stepparents
D011247 Pregnancy The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH. Gestation,Pregnancies
D011248 Pregnancy Complications Conditions or pathological processes associated with pregnancy. They can occur during or after pregnancy, and range from minor discomforts to serious diseases that require medical interventions. They include diseases in pregnant females, and pregnancies in females with diseases. Adverse Birth Outcomes,Complications, Pregnancy,Adverse Birth Outcome,Birth Outcome, Adverse,Complication, Pregnancy,Outcome, Adverse Birth,Pregnancy Complication
D011597 Psychomotor Performance The coordination of a sensory or ideational (cognitive) process and a motor activity. Perceptual Motor Performance,Sensory Motor Performance,Visual Motor Coordination,Coordination, Visual Motor,Coordinations, Visual Motor,Motor Coordination, Visual,Motor Coordinations, Visual,Motor Performance, Perceptual,Motor Performance, Sensory,Motor Performances, Perceptual,Motor Performances, Sensory,Perceptual Motor Performances,Performance, Perceptual Motor,Performance, Psychomotor,Performance, Sensory Motor,Performances, Perceptual Motor,Performances, Psychomotor,Performances, Sensory Motor,Psychomotor Performances,Sensory Motor Performances,Visual Motor Coordinations
D001724 Birth Weight The mass or quantity of heaviness of an individual at BIRTH. It is expressed by units of pounds or kilograms. Birthweight,Birth Weights,Birthweights,Weight, Birth,Weights, Birth

Related Publications

E Walker, and E Emory
July 1997, Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry,
E Walker, and E Emory
July 1984, Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry,
E Walker, and E Emory
September 1973, The Journal of nervous and mental disease,
E Walker, and E Emory
January 2004, Journal of affective disorders,
E Walker, and E Emory
August 1993, Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica,
E Walker, and E Emory
November 1989, Psychiatric journal of the University of Ottawa : Revue de psychiatrie de l'Universite d'Ottawa,
E Walker, and E Emory
January 1997, The Israel journal of psychiatry and related sciences,
E Walker, and E Emory
November 1988, Psychiatric journal of the University of Ottawa : Revue de psychiatrie de l'Universite d'Ottawa,
E Walker, and E Emory
January 2011, Clinics (Sao Paulo, Brazil),
Copied contents to your clipboard!