Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-fbnjt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T07:12:58.766Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Increased Occurrence of Schizophrenia and other Psychiatric Illnesses Among Twins

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Ulla Kläning ,
Preben Bo Mortensen  and
Kirsten Ohm Kyvik
Ulla Kläning*
Affiliation:
Institute for Basic Psychiatric Research, Risskov
Preben Bo Mortensen
Affiliation:
Institute for Basic Psychiatric Research, Risskov
Kirsten Ohm Kyvik
Affiliation:
Genetic Epidemiologic Research Unit, Institute of Community Health, Odense University, DK-5000 Odense, Denmark
*
Ulla Kläning, Institute for Basic Psychiatric Research, Department of Psychiatric Demography, Psychiatric Hospital in Aarhus, DK-8240 Risskov, Denmark
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background

We wished to establish whether the occurrence of schizophrenia among twins is the same as among the general population.

Method

Through record linkage between the New Danish Twin Register and the Danish Psychiatric Case Register, the twins who have ever received a diagnosis of schizophrenia were identified. Through indirect standardisation for age, sex and dates of admission, the rate of first admission with diagnosis schizophrenia among twins is compared to the same rate in the general population.

Results

A 28% increase in the rate of first admissions for schizophrenia in twins compared to the general population was found. This is statistically significant and does not seem to be caused by any known methodological problems. Twins also had an increased first-admission rate of any psychiatric disorders.

Conclusion

This increased risk does not seem to be explained by known methodological problems, but does differ from earlier studies.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 168 , Issue 6 , June 1996 , pp. 688 - 692
Copyright
Copyright © 1996 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Allen, M. G. & Pollin, W. (1970) Schizophrenia in twins and the diffuse ego boundary hypothesis. American Journal of Psychiatry, 127, 79–84.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Breslow, N. E. & Day, N. E. (1987) Statistical Methods in Cancer Research, Volume II. The Design and Analysis of Cohort Studies. Lyon: IARC, Scientific Publications.Google ScholarPubMed
Bryan, E. (1992) Twins and Higher Multiple Births. A Guide to Their Nature and Nurture. London: Edward Arnold.Google Scholar
Chitkara, B., Macdonald, A. & Reveley, A. M. (1988) Twin birth and adult psychiatric disorder. An examination of the case records of the Maudsley Hospital. British Journal of Psychiatry, 152, 391–398.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Clayton, D. & Hills, M. (1993) Statistical Models in Epidemiology. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Dupont, A. (1983) A national psychiatric case register as a tool for mental health planning, research, and administration. The Danish model. In Information Support to Mental Health Programs (eds Laska, E. M., Walter, H., Gulbinat, W. H., et al), pp. 257–274. New York: Human Sciences Press.Google Scholar
Eaton, W. W. (1991) Update on the epidemiology of schizophrenia. Epidemiological Reviews, 13, 320–328.Google Scholar
Epicenter Software (1989) EPILOG PLUS Statistical Package for Epidemiology and Clinical Trials. Pasadena: Epicenter Software.Google Scholar
Faraone, S. W., Chen, W. I., Goldstein, J. M., et al (1994) Gender differences in age at onset of schizophrenia. British Journal of Psychiatry, 164, 625–629.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fischer, M. (1973) Genetic and environmental factors in schizophrenia. A study of schizophrenic twins and their families. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, suppl. 238.Google Scholar
Goldstein, J. M., Faraone, S. V., Chen, W. J., et al (1990) Sex differences in the familial transmission of schizophrenia. British Journal of Schizophrenia, 156, 819–826.Google Scholar
Gottesman, I. I. & Shields, J. (1972) Schizophrenia and Genetics, a Twin Vantage Point. London: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Kringlen, E. (1967) Heredity and Environment in the Functional Psychoses. An Epidemiological Clinical Twin Study. London: William Heinemann Medical.Google Scholar
Kyvik, K. O., Green, A. & Beck-Nielsen, H. (1995) The new Danish twin register Establishment and analysis of twinning rates. International Journal of Epidemiology, 24, 589–596.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McNeil, T. F. (1995) Perinatal risk factors and schizophrenia: Selective review and methodological concerns. Epidemiological Reviews, 17, 107–112.Google Scholar
Mortensen, P. B. & Eaton, W. W. (1994) Predictors for readmission risk in schizophrenia. Psychological Medicine, 24, 223–232.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Munk-Jørgensen, P., Kastrup, M. & Mortensen, P. B. (1993) The Danish psychiatric register as a tool in epidemiology. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, Suppl. 370, 27–32.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pernoll, M. (1991) Current Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Diagnosis and Treatment. London: Prentice Hall.Google Scholar
Rosenthal, D. (1960) Confusion of identity and the frequency of schizophrenia in twins. Archives of Genetic Psychiatry, 3, 297–304.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Scott, J. R. (1990) Danforths Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Philadelphia: Lippicott.Google Scholar
Seeman, M. V. (1986) Current outcome in schizophrenia: women vs men. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 73, 609–617.Google Scholar
Tienari, P. (1963) Psychiatric illnesses in identical twins. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, Suppl. 171, 39, 116–117.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.