Is Fever during Pregnany a Risk Factor for Schizophrenia?
November 16th, 2007 | by Timothy Kintzel, M.D. |
Recently a hypothesis was presented by investigators from Australia that hyperthermia (fever) in utero may be an environmental risk factor for the child’s development of schizophrenia. The study specifically looked at the maternal development of Influenza during the second trimester and how the hyperthermia resulting from it can be associated with with schizophrenia in the child. There is no evidence of direct invasion of the fetus by the influenza virus. However, it is postulated that the fever associated with it can cause damage to the developing fetus’s brain - more specifically an area called the amygdalohippocampal complex. Other factors that might interact with hyperthermia include familial liability to schizophrenia, season of birth, maternal nutrition, severe stress and medications used to alleviate the symptoms of fevers.
In summary, the effects of hyperthermia during the second trimester of pregnancy may include an increased risk for the development of schizophrenia in the child.
Reference: Edwards MJ, Congenit Anom (Kyoto). 2007 Sep;47(3):84-9.
Tags: Fever, Hyperthermia, Pregnancy, Psychiatry, Schizophrenia