This proposal addresses several problems with the fetal virus-adult schizophrenia research. 1. In almost all of the studies, an increased risk for schizophrenia is related to exposure to the epidemic rather than empirical evidence of an influenza infection. The one exception is our own Helsinki study, but the number of subjects for that study was small. In the context of a population of 5387 Finnish schizophrenics, we propose to determine whether recorded instances of influenza tend to segregate in the second trimester of gestation. 2. We do not know what changes in the fetus, attributable to the viral infection, increase risk for later schizophrenia. We are addressing this problem by examining the neurointegrative and neuromotor functioning of infants whose mothers have a serologically confirmed infection at a known time during gestation. 3. The virus-schizophrenia correlation does not establish whether influenza is the only infectious disease which may increase risk for later schizophrenia. We are examining the effect of a serologically-verified mycoplasma pneumonia infection during gestation on the neurointegrative functioning of the infant. 4. The influenza viral infection is a relatively specific """"""""cause"""""""". We attempted to determine whether we could detect a narrowly-defined resultant clinical syndrome. We found that the second-trimester infection produced schizophrenics with marked delusions and reduced levels of thought disorder. We propose to examine the brains of these schizophrenics with MRI to determine whether we can identify a similarly narrowly defined neuroanatomical disturbance underlying the specific clinical syndrome. 5. We propose to examine the possibility that the viral effect is due to antibody reactions to specific fetal brain tissues. We plan to immunostain second trimester fetal neural tissue with IgG and IgM class antibodies and attempt to determine which parts of the brain are recognized by these antibodies. Pilot work has implicated the hippocampus and the basal ganglia.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
2R01MH037692-06A1
Application #
2244553
Study Section
Epidemiology and Genetics Review Committee (EPI)
Project Start
1988-04-01
Project End
1996-11-30
Budget Start
1994-07-01
Budget End
1994-11-30
Support Year
6
Fiscal Year
1994
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Southern California
Department
Social Sciences
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
041544081
City
Los Angeles
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
90089
Schiffman, Jason; Maeda, Justin A; Hayashi, Kentaro et al. (2006) Premorbid childhood ocular alignment abnormalities and adult schizophrenia-spectrum disorder. Schizophr Res 81:253-60
Schiffman, Jason; Pestle, Sarah; Mednick, Sara et al. (2005) Childhood laterality and adult schizophrenia spectrum disorders: a prospective investigation. Schizophr Res 72:151-60
Schiffman, Jason; Lam, Cecilia W; Jiwatram, Tina et al. (2004) Perspective-taking deficits in people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders: a prospective investigation. Psychol Med 34:1581-6
Schiffman, Jason; Walker, Elaine; Ekstrom, Morten et al. (2004) Childhood videotaped social and neuromotor precursors of schizophrenia: a prospective investigation. Am J Psychiatry 161:2021-7
Schiffman, Jason; Ekstrom, Morten; LaBrie, Joseph et al. (2002) Minor physical anomalies and schizophrenia spectrum disorders: a prospective investigation. Am J Psychiatry 159:238-43
Machon, R A; Mednick, S A; Huttunen, M O (1997) Adult major affective disorder after prenatal exposure to an influenza epidemic. Arch Gen Psychiatry 54:322-8
Mednick, S A; Huttunen, M O; Machon, R A (1994) Prenatal influenza infections and adult schizophrenia. Schizophr Bull 20:263-7
Cannon, T D; Raine, A; Herman, T M et al. (1992) Third ventricle enlargement and lower heart rate levels in a high-risk sample. Psychophysiology 29:294-301
Dykes, K L; Mednick, S A; Machon, R A et al. (1992) Adult third ventricle width and infant behavioral arousal in groups at high and low risk for schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 7:13-8
Erel, O; Cannon, T D; Hollister, J M et al. (1991) Ventricular enlargement and premorbid deficits in school-occupational attainment in a high risk sample. Schizophr Res 4:49-52

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