Growth trajectory during early life and risk of adult schizophrenia

Background Growth abnormalities have been suggested as a precursor to schizophrenia, but previous studies have not assessed growth patterns using repeated measures. Aims To assess the association between early life/later childhood growth patterns and risk of schizophrenia. Methods Using prospectively collected data from a birth cohort (born 19591967), measurements of height, weight and body mass index (BMI) were analysed to compare growth patterns during early life and later childhood between 70 individuals with schizophrenia-spectrum disorder (SSD) and 7710 without. Results For women, growth in the SSD group was approximately 1 cm/year slower during early life (P < 0.01); no association was observed for men. Later childhood growth was not associated with SSD. Weight patterns were not associated with SSD, whereas slower change in BMI was observed among the SSD group during later childhood. Conclusions The association between slower growth in early life and schizophrenia in women suggests that factors responsible for regulating growth might be important in the pathogenesis of the disorder.