Virus infection during childhood linked to psychosis
Exposure to the mumps virus and cytomegalovirus during childhood is associated with later development of schizophrenia and nonaffective psychosis, according to a newly published study. Swedish researchers found that central nervous system infection with the mumps virus was related to an almost 3-fold increased risk for nonaffective psychosis, while infection with cytomegalovirus increased the risk for such psychosis by a factor of more than 16. Although mumps and cytomegalovirus infections were associated with increased risk for psychosis, the authors stress that since the numbers are small, results concerning specific infections should be interpreted with caution. Dr Christine Dalman commented that:
We think that this study supports that the window of vulnerability exists not only during fetal life but all through childhood. This means that there are plenty of opportunities to prevent psychotic illness and that you are not predetermined from birth to become ill.
Infections in the CNS during childhood and the risk of subsequent psychotic illness: a cohort study of more than one million Swedish subjects. Am J Psychiatry. 2008 165: 59-65
Infections during early life have been suggested to play a role in the etiology of schizophrenia. Most studies have focused on fetal life; few have explored risk associated with infection during childhood. The results of these have been inconsistent. The present study aims to investigate whether there is an increased risk of schizophrenia and other nonaffective psychoses associated with viral or bacterial CNS infections during childhood and, if so, which specific agents are involved.
A national cohort consisting of 1.2 million children born between 1973 and 1985 was followed up by using Swedish national registers to retrieve data on hospital admissions for CNS infections at 0-12 years of age (bacterial: N=2,435, viral: N=6,550) as well as admissions for nonaffective psychotic illnesses from the 14th birthday (N=2,269).
There was a slightly increased risk of nonaffective psychotic illness associated with viral CNS infections, as well as schizophrenia. There was no evidence of increased risk in relation to bacterial infections. When divided into specific agents, exposures to mumps virus or cytomegalovirus were associated with subsequent psychoses.
Serious viral CNS infections during childhood appear to be associated with the later development of schizophrenia and nonaffective psychoses. The association with specific viruses suggests that the risk is related to infectious agents with a propensity to invade the brain parenchyma.
Tags: Biology, Health, Medicine, Microbiology, Science, Virology
This may help us to go a long way in our fight against schizophrenia and related illnesses.
Sothatexplainseverything…..
IthinkIhadamildcaseofmumps…andIprobablygotCMV(doesn’teveryone?)…
Doesitalsoexplainwhythere’snospacesinthiscomment?
The huge variable here is the nature of the immune response to the infection. More and more we see evidence of infection in a large numbers in the population, and a wide range of outcomes, many of which cannot be measured effectively. Just the same we have no clue what constitutes optimal immune function and how it influences short and long term outcomes of infection.
Chris: you’re just psychotic; no viruses needed (it’s OK, Alan, I know him).
But this just underscores for me the need to VACCINATE children against even what are termed “common” childhood illnesses, which are typically less severe than the adult versions – because you never know when a previously-unsuspected link such as this can pop up.
Which is why my daughter had to restrain me recently when we saw a woman carrying a small child with what looked like a nasty case of chickenpox into a supermarket recently: I wanted to charge after her and berate her for exposing all and sundry to the possibility of varicella and/or shingles…but my child wanted to enjoy her lunch. Ah, well. And it’s always the yuppies, too.
This is turning into the Old Virologists Club!
How easy is it to differentiate between chickenpox and monkeypox Ed? (In the supermarket – no sequencing Chris!)