-Caveat Lector-
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/health/newsid_1446000/1446968.stm
Friday, 20 July, 2001, 22:42 GMT 23:42 UK
Schizophrenia 'linked to lack of sun'
Some cases of schizophrenia may be caused by mothers being deprived of
sunshine during pregnancy, an expert has suggested.
It has been known for more than 80 years that there was a seasonal peak of
cases in North America and Europe in March.
Babies born between February and April are 10% more likely to develop
schizophrenia than those born at other times of the year.
It has been suggested that mothers who had had an infection, such as flu,
during the pregnancy at the time the babies' brains were being formed were
more likely to have "schizophrenic babies".
But Dr John McGrath, a psychiatrist at the Queensland Centre of
Schizophrenia Research in Brisbane, Australia, suggests it could be the
lack of UV light that is the key factor.
The National Schizophrenia Fellowship told BBC News Online the theory was
interesting - but that pregnant women who did not get much sun should not
be "blamed" if their child developed the disease.
Causes
Around 250,000 in Britain have schizophrenia.
There is no one cause for schizophrenia.
Various genes and environmental factors could be involved, but scientists
have not yet pinned down exactly how.
But reporting Dr McGrath's research, the New Scientist says that season of
birth accounts for more cases of schizophrenia than any other known risk
factor - including genetic causes.
Only a city birth is a higher risk factor than being born in the spring. Dr
McGrath found that in Queensland, there is a peak in the birth of
schizophrenic babies every three to four years.
This does not coincide with the big flu outbreaks, but does happen with the
same frequency that the El Nino weather system gives the area extremely
gloomy weather and therefore a lack of UV light.
The Southern hemisphere gets around 15% more UV light than the northern,
which the scientists say would explain the European and American peaks.
Vitamin link
One of the things UV does is convert a cholesterol-like molecule in the
skin to vitamin D.
Dr McGrath said: "Vitamin D is low in winter, low in cities and low in
dark-skinned migrants to northern climates".
Those are all high risk factors for schizophrenic births.
However, it is not known what role vitamin D might play in the development
of the brain, though experiments suggest it may be needed in building the
brain and developing tissue.
Tests on rats, carried out by Dr McGrath earlier this year, found pregnant
rats deprived of UV light or vitamin D had offspring with enlarged
ventricles, as seen in the brains of schizophrenics.
But he warned pregnant women should not take vitamin D supplements because
too much can cause birth defects.
'No single theory'
Experts say both the UV light/vitamin D theory and respiratory infections
during pregnancy may explain a proportion of schizophrenia cases.
Gary Hogman, head of policy and campaigns for the National Schizophrenia
Fellowship, said: "Anyone looking for a single 'Big Bang' theory for the
development of schizophrenia is likely to be disappointed.
"Schizophrenia remains poorly understood, but is almost certainly an
umbrella term covering a range of conditions with a number of common
symptoms."
He said both genes and environmental factors were likely to be involved.
"Any research that seeks to shed light on these complex interactions is to
be welcomed, but the results should not be presented as the definitive
cause of schizophrenia.
"Nor should they seek to 'blame' mothers for 'causing' schizophrenia in
their unborn children."
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