Schizophrenia risk factors

Risk factors for schizophrenia include the season of birth (late winter, early spring, summer) and genetic predisposition.

The following are associated with increased risk of schizophrenia:^[1]

• Season of birth:

• Early spring
• Summer
• Winter

• Place of growing up:

• Urban areas

• Genetic predisposition to:

• Bipolar disorder
• Depression
• Autism spectrum disorder^[1]

• It is thought that causal factors can initially come together in early neurodevelopment, including during pregnancy, to increase the risk of later developing schizophrenia.
• One curious finding is that people diagnosed with schizophrenia are more likely to have been born in winter or spring, (at least in the northern hemisphere).^[2]
• There is now evidence that prenatal exposure to infections increases the risk for developing schizophrenia later in life, providing additional evidence for a link between in utero developmental pathology and risk of developing the condition.^[3]

• Living in an urban environment has been consistently found to be a risk factor for schizophrenia.^[4]
• Social disadvantage has been found to be a risk factor, including poverty and migration related to social adversity, racial discrimination, family dysfunction, unemployment or poor housing conditions.^[5][6]
• Childhood experiences of abuse or trauma have also been implicated as risk factors for a diagnosis of schizophrenia later in life.^[7][8]
• Parenting is not held responsible for schizophrenia but unsupportive dysfunctional relationships may contribute to an increased risk.^[9]

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