Birendra Narayan Naik1, Rajani Kanta Meher2
BACKGROUND
Schizophrenia being one of the most debilitating and chronic psychiatric illnesses
still puzzles researchers due to its complex aetiology. Currently,
neurodevelopmental hypothesis of schizophrenia is widely accepted explaining
aetiology of schizophrenia. As per this hypothesis abnormal neurological
development during gestation and childhood due to various factors make the
individual susceptible for development of schizophrenia later in life. Presence of
minor physical anomalies (MPA) points towards abnormal neurodevelopment
during gestation which increases the risk of developing schizophrenia in later life.
Purpose of our study was to evaluate the presence of minor physical anomalies in
patients of schizophrenia and compare them with healthy controls.
METHODS
This was a cross-sectional comparative study. 50 schizophrenic patients were
selected from OPD (outpatient department) and the presence of minor physical
anomaly in those patients was compared with 50 normal healthy control subjects
using Waldrop’s minor congenital anomaly scale. Schizophrenic groups were also
categorised into the early-onset group and late-onset group and mean score of
Waldrop’s minor physical anomalies in both the groups were compared. Patients
with family history of schizophrenia were compared with those without any family
history of schizophrenia.
RESULTS
Minor physical anomalies were significantly higher in the schizophrenic group
(mean = 2.4) as compared to healthy controls (mean = 0.87). Incidence of minor
physical anomalies in the early onset group (mean = 3.91) was higher than the
late-onset group (mean = 1.53) but the difference was not statistically significant.
CONCLUSIONS
As the incidence of minor physical anomalies is more in schizophrenia, presence
of MPAs in asymptomatic patients can predict the risk of developing schizophrenia
in later life.
