Psychiatry Investig.  2011 Jun;8(2):77-88.

Schizophrenia, Cancer and Obstetric Complications in an Evolutionary Perspective-An Empirically Based Hypothesis

• Preti A
• Wilson DR

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
Patients diagnosed with schizophrenia have reduced fecundity and premature mortality (both accidental and violent) with no obvious compensatory advantages among kin. The prevalence of the disorder is around 0.7/1%, higher than the expected prevalence of spontaneous mutations. Genes favoring schizophrenia may have been positively selected in the environment of evolutionary adaptation. Literature on potential adaptive genes is reviewed within an evolutionary framework.
METHODS
Literature search on major scientific search engine (PubMed/Medline, Ovid/PsychInfo) on papers aimed at investigating potential pathways justifying a mutation-selection balanced model. Findings are presented with a narrative touch to favor readability and understanding.
RESULTS
Reduced incidence of cancer in both patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and their siblings was reported worldwide. Such findings are notable given higher cancer risk factors in schizophrenia, i.e., smoking, alcohol abuse, obesity, poor diet, and poor adherence to therapy. Some genes involved in cancer proliferation might as well confer protective advantage in immune-surveillance, inflammation, vascular proliferation or apoptosis that otherwise will adversely affect early neurodevelopment.
CONCLUSION
Evidence that reduced risk of certain somatic diseases is associated with schizophrenia is quite significant to progress in the evolutionary epidemiological analysis of psychopathology.

Keyword

Schizophrenia; Etiology; Evolutionary epidemiology; Obstetric complications; Cancer; Immune system

MeSH Terms

Alcoholism
Apoptosis
Comprehension
Diet
Fertility
Humans
Imidazoles
Immune System
Incidence
Inflammation
Mortality, Premature
Nitro Compounds
Obesity
Prevalence
Psychopathology
Risk Factors
Schizophrenia
Search Engine
Siblings
Smoke
Smoking
Imidazoles
Nitro Compounds
Smoke