Personality and low IQ as possible risk factors for schizophrenia

BackgroundThe selection hypothesis posits that the increased rates of psychosis observed among migrants are due to selective migration of people who are predisposed to develop the disorder. To test this hypothesis, we examined whether risk factors for psychosis are more prevalent among future emigrants.MethodA cohort of 49 321 Swedish military conscripts was assessed at age 18 years on cannabis use, IQ, psychiatric diagnosis, social adjustment, history of trauma and urbanicity of place of upbringing. Through data linkage we examined whether these exposures predicted emigration out of Sweden. We also calculated the emigrants' hypothetical relative risk compared with non-emigrants for developing a non-affective psychotic disorder.ResultsLow IQ [odds ratio (OR) 0.5, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.3–0.9] and ‘poor social adjustment’ (OR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2–0.8) were significantly less prevalent among prospective emigrants, whereas a history of urban upbringing (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.4–3.7) was significantly more common. Apart from a non-significant increase in cannabis use among emigrants (OR 1.6, 95% CI 0.8–3.1), there were no major group differences in any other risk factors. Compared to non-emigrants, hypothetical relative risks for developing non-affective psychotic disorder were 0.7 (95% CI 0.4–1.2) and 0.8 (95% CI 0.7–1.0), respectively, for emigrants narrowly and broadly defined.ConclusionsThis study adds to an increasing body of evidence opposing the selection hypothesis.

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Early childhood factors associated with the development of post-traumatic stress disorder: results from a longitudinal birth cohort

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291706009019 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 37 (2) ◽

pp. 181-192 ◽

Cited By ~ 185

Author(s):

KARESTAN C. KOENEN ◽

TERRIE E. MOFFITT ◽

RICHIE POULTON ◽

JUDITH MARTIN ◽

AVSHALOM CASPI

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Birth Cohort ◽

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽

Traumatic Stress ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Post Traumatic ◽

Low Iq ◽

Childhood Factors

Background. Childhood factors have been associated with increased risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Previous studies assessed only a limited number of childhood factors retrospectively. We examined the association between childhood neurodevelopmental, temperamental, behavioral and family environmental characteristics assessed before age 11 years and the development of PTSD up to age 32 years in a birth cohort.Method. Members of a 1972–73 New Zealand birth cohort (n=1037) who were assessed at ages 26 and 32 years for PTSD as defined by DSM-IV.Results. We identified two sets of childhood risk factors. The first set of risk factors was associated both with increased risk of trauma exposure and with PTSD assessed at age 26. These included childhood externalizing characteristics and family environmental stressors, specifically maternal distress and loss of a parent. The second set of risk factors affected risk for PTSD only and included low IQ and chronic environmental adversity. The effect of cumulative childhood factors on risk of PTSD at age 26 was substantial; over 58% of cohort members in the highest risk quartile for three developmental factors had PTSD as compared to only 25% of those not at high risk on any factors. Low IQ at age 5, antisocial behavior, and poverty before age 11 continued to predict PTSD related to traumatic events that occurred between the ages of 26 and 32.Conclusions. Developmental capacities and conditions of early childhood may increase both risk of trauma exposure and the risk that individuals will respond adversely to traumatic exposures. Rather than being solely a response to trauma, PTSD may have developmental origins.

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Elevated level of circulatory sTLT1 induces inflammation through SYK/MEK/ERK signalling in coronary artery disease

Clinical Science ◽

10.1042/cs20190999 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 133 (22) ◽

pp. 2283-2299

Author(s):

Apabrita Ayan Das ◽

Devasmita Chakravarty ◽

Debmalya Bhunia ◽

Surajit Ghosh ◽

Prakash C. Mandal ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Coronary Artery Disease ◽

Coronary Artery ◽

Chronic Inflammation ◽

Ex Vivo ◽

Human Subjects ◽

Critical Role ◽

Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease ◽

Tnf Α ◽

Artery Disease

Abstract The role of inflammation in all phases of atherosclerotic process is well established and soluble TREM-like transcript 1 (sTLT1) is reported to be associated with chronic inflammation. Yet, no information is available about the involvement of sTLT1 in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Present study was undertaken to determine the pathophysiological significance of sTLT1 in atherosclerosis by employing an observational study on human subjects (n=117) followed by experiments in human macrophages and atherosclerotic apolipoprotein E (apoE)−/− mice. Plasma level of sTLT1 was found to be significantly (P<0.05) higher in clinical (2342 ± 184 pg/ml) and subclinical cases (1773 ± 118 pg/ml) than healthy controls (461 ± 57 pg/ml). Moreover, statistical analyses further indicated that sTLT1 was not only associated with common risk factors for Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) in both clinical and subclinical groups but also strongly correlated with disease severity. Ex vivo studies on macrophages showed that sTLT1 interacts with Fcɣ receptor I (FcɣRI) to activate spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK)-mediated downstream MAP kinase signalling cascade to activate nuclear factor-κ B (NF-kB). Activation of NF-kB induces secretion of tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) from macrophage cells that plays pivotal role in governing the persistence of chronic inflammation. Atherosclerotic apoE−/− mice also showed high levels of sTLT1 and TNF-α in nearly occluded aortic stage indicating the contribution of sTLT1 in inflammation. Our results clearly demonstrate that sTLT1 is clinically related to the risk factors of CAD. We also showed that binding of sTLT1 with macrophage membrane receptor, FcɣR1 initiates inflammatory signals in macrophages suggesting its critical role in thrombus development and atherosclerosis.

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Hearing Loss Risk Factors and Strategies in Rural Areas

Perspectives on Aural Rehabilitation and Its Instrumentation ◽

10.1044/arii12.1.17 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 17-20

Author(s):

Gregory A. Flamme

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Hearing Loss ◽

Rural Areas

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The Preschool Stuttering Screen for Health Care Professionals

Perspectives on Fluency and Fluency Disorders ◽

10.1044/ffd21.2.59 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 21 (2) ◽

pp. 59-62

Author(s):

Joseph Donaher ◽

Christina Deery ◽

Sarah Vogel

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Health Care ◽

Differential Diagnosis ◽

Preschool Children ◽

Health Care Professionals ◽

Healthcare Professionals ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Developmental Profile

Healthcare professionals require a thorough understanding of stuttering since they frequently play an important role in the identification and differential diagnosis of stuttering for preschool children. This paper introduces The Preschool Stuttering Screen for Healthcare Professionals (PSSHP) which highlights risk factors identified in the literature as being associated with persistent stuttering. By integrating the results of the checklist with a child’s developmental profile, healthcare professionals can make better-informed, evidence-based decisions for their patients.

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Clinical Response to Questions Regarding Outcomes and Therapy Efficacy

Perspectives on Fluency and Fluency Disorders ◽

10.1044/ffd20.3.76 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 20 (3) ◽

pp. 76-83 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Joseph Donaher ◽

Tom Gurrister ◽

Irving Wollman ◽

Tim Mackesey ◽

Michelle L. Burnett

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Clinical Response ◽

Speech Language Pathologists ◽

Specific Therapy ◽

Therapy Efficacy ◽

Therapy Program ◽

Adults Who Stutter ◽

Cure Rates

Parents of children who stutter and adults who stutter frequently ask speech-language pathologists to predict whether or not therapy will work. Even though research has explored risk-factors related to persistent stuttering, there remains no way to determine how an individual will react to a specific therapy program. This paper presents various clinicians’answers to the question, “What do you tell parents or adults who stutter when they ask about cure rates, outcomes, and therapy efficacy?”

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