Painkiller use in pregnancy tied to schizophrenia
Key points
- Babies exposed to painkillers during the later stages of pregnancy appear to have an increased risk of developing schizophrenia in adulthood, according to the findings of a large Danish study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry.
- To investigate the theory that prenatal exposure to analgesics might affect fetal neurodevelopment, leading to increased risk of schizophrenia in adulthood, the Copenhagen University team matched data from the Copenhagen Perinatal Cohort with information from the Danish Psychiatric Central Register.
- Among a subset of 7999 individuals, 116 cases of schizophrenia were identified.
- The association remained statistically significant after factoring a parental history of schizophrenia and other risk factors.
Babies exposed to painkillers during the later stages of pregnancy appear to have an increased risk of developing schizophrenia in adulthood, according to the findings of a large Danish study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry.
To investigate the theory that prenatal exposure to analgesics might affect fetal neurodevelopment, leading to increased risk of schizophrenia in adulthood, the Copenhagen University team matched data from the Copenhagen Perinatal Cohort with information from the Danish Psychiatric Central Register.
Among a subset of 7999 individuals, 116 cases of schizophrenia were identified. Prenatal exposure to analgesics in the second trimester was associated with a nearly five-fold increased risk of schizophrenia.
The association remained statistically significant after factoring a parental history of schizophrenia and other risk factors.
Holger Sørensen and colleagues said that development of the cortical subplate reaches its peak in the second trimester, so the fetal brain might be particularly sensitive to a range of environmental influences in the womb at that time.
SOURCE: British Journal of Psychiatry, November 2004.
Written and revised by
David Cohen, M.D.
Our doctors write and review articles for accuracy and keep them up to date.
health.am provides general information, not medical advice. Always consult a qualified health professional about your own health.
Explore health topics
More in this topic
Mental Health →
NewsTSRI scientists find molecular trigger of schizophrenia-like behaviors and brain changes
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have identified a molecule in the brain that triggers schizophrenia-like behaviors, brain changes and global gene expression in an animal model. The research gives…
9 April 2015
NewsBrain networks differ among those with severe schizophrenia, CAMH study shows
People with a severe form of schizophrenia have major differences in their brain networks compared to others with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and healthy individuals, a new study from the Centre for Addiction and…
19 March 2015
NewsSchizophrenia: Impaired activity of the selective dopamine neurons
Schizophrenia is not only associated with positive symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions, but also with negative symptoms e.g. cognitive deficits and impairments of the emotional drive. Until now, the underlying…
