Season of birth of siblings of schizophrenic patients

Br J Psychiatry. 1992 Jan:160:71-5. doi: 10.1192/bjp.160.1.71.

Abstract

The hypothesis that mothers of winter-spring-born schizophrenics have an unusual pattern of conception which results in an excess of winter-spring births was tested by studying the distribution of birth-dates of 401 siblings of 120 winter-spring-born schizophrenics and 157 siblings of 59 winter-spring-born controls. All analyses were gender-specific. The results suggest there is no association between the probability of a winter-spring date of birth and being a sibling of a winter-spring-born schizophrenic or control.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Odds Ratio
  • Risk Factors
  • Schizophrenia / diagnosis
  • Schizophrenia / genetics*
  • Schizophrenic Psychology*
  • Seasons*
  • Sibling Relations*