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Morbid Risk of Schizophrenia in First-Degree Relatives of White and African–Caribbean Patients with Psychosis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

G. Hutchinson ,
N. Takei ,
T. A. Fahy ,
D. Bhugra ,
C. Gilvarry ,
P. Moran ,
R. Mallett ,
P. Sham ,
J. Leff  and
R. M. Murray
G. Hutchinson
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, London
N. Takei
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, London
T. A. Fahy
Affiliation:
Maudsley Hospital, London
D. Bhugra
Affiliation:
Department of Social Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, London
C. Gilvarry
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, London
P. Moran
Affiliation:
Maudsley Hospital, London
R. Mallett
Affiliation:
MRC Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, London
P. Sham
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, London
J. Leff
Affiliation:
MRC Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, London
R. M. Murray*
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry and King's College Hospital, London
*
Professor R. M. Murray, Institute of Psychiatry and King's College Hospital, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF
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Abstract

Background

The high rate of schizophrenia among the second-generation African–Caribbean population in Britain has prompted much concern and speculation. Sugarman and Craufurd have reported that the morbid risk in the siblings of second-generation African–Caribbean schizophrenic patients was unusually high compared with that of the siblings of White patients.

Method

We sought to replicate these findings by comparing the morbid risk for schizophrenia in the first-degree relatives of 111 White and 73 African–Caribbean psychotic probands. The latter comprised 35 first-generation (bom in the Caribbean) and 38 second-generation (born in Britain) probands.

Results

The morbid risk for schizophrenia was similar for the parents and siblings of White and first-generation African–Caribbean patients, and for the parents of the second-generation African–Caribbean probands. However, the siblings of second-generation African–Caribbean psychotic probands had a morbid risk for schizophrenia that was seven times that of their White counterparts (P=0.007); similarly, the siblings of second-generation African–Caribbean schizophrenic probands had a morbid risk for schizophrenia that was four times that of their White counterparts (P=0.05).

Conclusions

These findings replicate those of the earlier report of Sugarman and Craufurd, and suggest either that the second-generation African–Caribbean population in Britain is particularly vulnerable to some environmental risk factors for schizophrenia, or that some environmental factors act selectively on this population in Britain.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 169 , Issue 6 , December 1996 , pp. 776 - 780
Copyright
Copyright © 1996 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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