Premium
Twin concordance for DSM‐III‐R schizophrenia
Author(s) -
Onstad S.,
Skre I.,
Torgersen S.,
Kringlen E.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1991.tb05563.x
Subject(s) - concordance , proband , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , psychology , psychiatry , psychosis , twin study , monozygotic twin , dizygotic twin , schizotypal personality disorder , schizophrenia spectrum , clinical psychology , medicine , heritability , genetics , biology , mutation , gene
The monozygotic (MZ)/dizygotic (DZ) concordance rates for schizophrenia and the relationship between schizophrenia and schizophrenic spectrum disorders were studied in a sample of 31 MZ and 28 DZ schizophrenic probands and their co‐twins. All subjects were personally interviewed with structured diagnostic instruments and classified according to DSM‐III‐R criteria. The concordance rates of 48% for MZ twins and 4% for DZ twins indicate a genetic transmission of DSM‐III‐R schizophrenia. In addition to the schizophrenic co‐twins, 3 MZ co‐twins had a nonaffective psychotic disorder, thus supporting the hypothesis that genes are involved in the development of Axis I schizophrenic spectrum disorders. Schizotypal and paranoid personality disorders were observed in both MZ and DZ co‐twins. These disorders may be familially related to schizophrenia, but a genetic relationship was not confirmed for the Axis II spectrum disorders. A substantial number of MZ co‐twins of schizophrenic probands had no mental disorder.