Paternal age and Schizophrenia”

ABSTRACT Background: Schizophrenia is considered to be a Neurodevelopmental disorder with its pathogenesis going back to gestation and early childhood. New mutations secondary to advanced paternal age may operate to increase the risk of this disorder by adversely affecting the brain development. Objectives: To study the association between the paternal age at conception and development of Schizophrenia among the patients attending the psychiatry services in a tertiary care hospital. Materials and methods: Retrospective file review of the patients diagnosed with Schizophrenia was carried out and compared with equal number of patients with non-psychotic illness (excluding organic mental illness & substance abuse) in relation to the maternal and paternal age and duration of marriage of the parents at delivery. Results: Logistic regression analysis among the patients with Schizophrenia and Non-schizophrenic illness in relation to paternal age above 40 years , maternal age above 40 years...