Childhood Trauma May Increase Risk of Psychosis and Mood Disorder in Genetically High-risk Children and Adolescents by Enhancing the Accumulation of Risk Indicators

Abstract Background Genetically high-risk children carry indicators of brain dysfunctions that adult patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder display. The accumulation risk would have a higher predictive value later transition to psychosis mood than each individual indicator. Since more 50% report having been exposed childhood trauma, we investigated whether exposure trauma during was associated the early in youths at genetic risk. Methods We first inspected characteristics 200 young offspring (51% male) born parent affected by DSM-IV schizophrenia, disorder, major depressive disorder. A subsample 109 had measurements on four indicators: cognitive impairments, psychotic-like experiences, nonpsychotic nonmood DSM diagnoses, poor global functioning. Trauma assessed from direct interviews and reviews lifetime medical school records offspring. Results present 86 (43%). relative accumulating 3.33 (95% CI 1.50, 7.36), but pronounced males (RR = 4.64, 95% 1.71, 12.6) females 2.01, 0.54, 7.58). Conclusion Childhood be related developmental precursors psychiatric disorders so boys high Our findings may provide leads for interventions targeting mechanisms underlying established relation between disorders.