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‘Pfropfschizophrenie’ revisited

Schizophrenia in people with mild learning disability

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 January 2018

Gillian A. Doody ,
Eve C. Johnstone ,
T. L. Sanderson ,
David G.C. Owens  and
W J. Muir
Gillian A. Doody*
Affiliation:
University of Edinburgh, Department of Psychiatry, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh
Eve C. Johnstone
Affiliation:
University of Edinburgh, Department of Psychiatry, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh
T. L. Sanderson
Affiliation:
University of Edinburgh, Department of Psychiatry, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh
David G.C. Owens
Affiliation:
University of Edinburgh, Department of Psychiatry, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh
W J. Muir
Affiliation:
University of Edinburgh, Department of Psychiatry, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh
*
Dr G. A. Doody, Department of Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside Park, Edinburgh EHIOSHF
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Abstract

Background

It is reported that people with mild learning disability have a higher point prevalence of schizophrenia than the normal population, the reasons for which are unclear.

Method

Thirty-nine subjects with mild learning disability and schizophrenia, 34 control subjects with schizophrenia and 28 control subjects with mild learning disability were seen. Interviews with relatives and carers were also conducted. Assessments were made of clinical variables, psychopathology, neurological ‘soft'signs, IQ, memory and family history. Blood was taken for karyotypic analysis from comorbid subjects.

Results

The comorbid group had more negative symptoms, episodic memory deficits, soft neurological signs, epilepsy and receive more community supports than control subjects with schizophrenia. Comorbid subjects had a tendency to belong to multiply affected families and show high rates of chromosomal variants on routine karyotypic testing.

Conclusions

Future work on the generality of schizophrenia should include people with premorbid learning disability, as a discrete subtype from whom valuable genetic aetiological clues may be obtained.

Information

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 173 , Issue 2 , August 1998 , pp. 145 - 153
Copyright
Copyright © 1998 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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