Gottesman et al - Paper 3

Question 1

Aim

Answer 1

Investigate if schizophrenia or bipolar affective disorder are inherited
OR
Investigate if those with schizophrenia or bipolar affective disorder are likely to have parents with the same disorder

Question 2

Method

Answer 2

Register based cohort study in Denmark
Used secondary data

Question 3

Sample

Answer 3

2.6 million Danish people
Alive in/born after 1968, with a link to their mother and father registered
Ppts had to be 10/over before 2007 (study done in 2010)

Question 4

Procedure

Answer 4

Used Danish Psychiatric Central Register
Looked at parents who both had been admitted for a disorder, and where neither did
Disorders classed as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder and other psychotic disorders and unipolar depressive disorder also considered
Disorders were not mutually exclusive - people could have more than one

Question 5

Findings

Answer 5

Chance of schizophrenia if both parents had it was 27.3%; 7% if one parent was schizophrenic; 0.86% if neither had it
Chance of bipolar was if both parents were bipolar was 24.9%; 4.4% if only bipolar parent; 0.48% if neither were bipolar
If only parent had schizophrenia and the other had bipolar - 15.6% chance of schizophrenia and 11.7% chance of bipolar

Question 6

Conclusions

Answer 6

Offspring of two parents with psychosis have a much higher risk of psychosis
Risk of being admitted with schizophrenia is higher if both parents have been admitted for the same reasons or if only one has
Risk of being admitted with bipolar/unipolar depressive disorder is higher if both parents have been admitted for the same reason than if only one parent has or if neither have

Question 7

Application

Answer 7

Suggests need for biological antipsychotics ie SSRIs