Mapping silent spectrum predisposition: anomalous subjective experiences and schizotypy in unaffected genetic high-risk subjects

Abstract

Background

Contemporary psychopathology, together with the conceptual reappraisal of the notions of schizotaxia, schizotypy and schizotropic liability (i.e. anomalous subjective experiences), is witnessing the rebirth of attention to attenuated (subclinical) trait phenotypes that may indicative of latent vulnerability to spectrum conditions.

Objective

To extract heuristic, clinically-useful, target dimensions indicative of enhanced, genetically mediated, schizotaxic risk.

Methods

Schizotypal traits and anomalous subjective experiences were assessed in a sample of unaffected siblings of schizophrenics by means of a condensed, ad hoc developed, semi-structured exploratory checklist (i.e. Brief Experiential Vulnerability Assessment) and compared with two experimental control groups (i.e. unrelated healthy subjects and DSM-IV Schizotypal Personality Disorder patients).

Results

Unaffected siblings exhibited intermediate, non pathological scores in all the schizotypal dimensions (i.e. “Positive”, “Negative” and “Oddness”) and in some self-experiential domains as compared to the control samples.

Regression analyses indicate that schizotypal interpersonal deficit (i.e. Negative factor) and subjective experience of anomalous autopsychism (i.e. Self-disorders), are the best predictors of schizotaxic risk.

Conclusions

Self-disorders and the interpersonal factor of schizotypy delineate a combined target phenotype which plausibly reflects the heritable schizophrenia spectrum predisposition and may be relevant for identifying vulnerable subjects in non-clinically-overt conditions.