Congenital blindness is protective for schizophrenia and other psychotic illness. A whole-population study.

Vera A. Morgan; Melanie Clark; Julie Crewe; Giulietta Valuri; David A. Mackey; Johanna C. Badcock; Assen Jablensky

doi:10.1016/j.schres.2018.06.061

Congenital blindness is protective for schizophrenia and other psychotic illness. A whole-population study.

Vera A. Morgan, Melanie Clark, Julie Crewe, Giulietta Valuri, David A. Mackey, Johanna C. Badcock, Assen Jablensky

Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter › peer-review

19 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Congenital/early blindness is reportedly protective against schizophrenia. Using a whole-population cohort of 467,945 children born in Western Australia between 1980 and 2001, we examined prevalence of schizophrenia and psychotic illness in individuals with congenital/early blindness. Overall, 1870 children developed schizophrenia (0.4%) while 9120 developed a psychotic illness (1.9%). None of the 66 children with cortical blindness developed schizophrenia or psychotic illness. Eight of the 613 children with peripheral blindness developed a psychotic illness other than schizophrenia and fewer had developed schizophrenia. Our results support findings from small case studies that congenital/early cortical but not peripheral blindness is protective against schizophrenia.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	414-416
Number of pages	3
Journal	Schizophrenia Research
Volume	202
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2018.06.061
Publication status	Published - 1 Dec 2018

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10.1016/j.schres.2018.06.061

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title = "Congenital blindness is protective for schizophrenia and other psychotic illness. A whole-population study.",

abstract = "Congenital/early blindness is reportedly protective against schizophrenia. Using a whole-population cohort of 467,945 children born in Western Australia between 1980 and 2001, we examined prevalence of schizophrenia and psychotic illness in individuals with congenital/early blindness. Overall, 1870 children developed schizophrenia (0.4%) while 9120 developed a psychotic illness (1.9%). None of the 66 children with cortical blindness developed schizophrenia or psychotic illness. Eight of the 613 children with peripheral blindness developed a psychotic illness other than schizophrenia and fewer had developed schizophrenia. Our results support findings from small case studies that congenital/early cortical but not peripheral blindness is protective against schizophrenia.",

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T1 - Congenital blindness is protective for schizophrenia and other psychotic illness. A whole-population study.

AU - Morgan, Vera A.

AU - Clark, Melanie

AU - Crewe, Julie

AU - Valuri, Giulietta

AU - Mackey, David A.

AU - Badcock, Johanna C.

AU - Jablensky, Assen

PY - 2018/12/1

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N2 - Congenital/early blindness is reportedly protective against schizophrenia. Using a whole-population cohort of 467,945 children born in Western Australia between 1980 and 2001, we examined prevalence of schizophrenia and psychotic illness in individuals with congenital/early blindness. Overall, 1870 children developed schizophrenia (0.4%) while 9120 developed a psychotic illness (1.9%). None of the 66 children with cortical blindness developed schizophrenia or psychotic illness. Eight of the 613 children with peripheral blindness developed a psychotic illness other than schizophrenia and fewer had developed schizophrenia. Our results support findings from small case studies that congenital/early cortical but not peripheral blindness is protective against schizophrenia.

AB - Congenital/early blindness is reportedly protective against schizophrenia. Using a whole-population cohort of 467,945 children born in Western Australia between 1980 and 2001, we examined prevalence of schizophrenia and psychotic illness in individuals with congenital/early blindness. Overall, 1870 children developed schizophrenia (0.4%) while 9120 developed a psychotic illness (1.9%). None of the 66 children with cortical blindness developed schizophrenia or psychotic illness. Eight of the 613 children with peripheral blindness developed a psychotic illness other than schizophrenia and fewer had developed schizophrenia. Our results support findings from small case studies that congenital/early cortical but not peripheral blindness is protective against schizophrenia.

KW - Congenital blindness

KW - Cortical blindness

KW - Peripheral blindness

KW - Psychotic disorders

KW - Schizophrenia

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M3 - Letter

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JO - Schizophrenia Research

JF - Schizophrenia Research

ER -

Congenital blindness is protective for schizophrenia and other psychotic illness. A whole-population study.

Abstract

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