Ditte Ellersgaard1,2,3, Kerstin J Plessen2,4,5, Jens R M Jepsen1,2,5, Katrine S Spang2,3,5, Nicoline Hemager1,2,3, Birgitte K Burton2,3,5, Camilla Christiani1,2,3, Maja Gregersen1,2,3, Ole Mors2,6, Merete Nordentoft1,2,3, Anne A E Thorup2,3,5; 1Mental Health Services - Capital Region of Denmark, Mental Health Centre Copenhagen, 2The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), 3Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, 4Division of Adolescent and Child Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland, 5Mental Health Services – Capital Region of Denmark, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Centre, 6Psychosis Research Unit, Aarhus University Hospital Risskov, Denmark
Introduction: For both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder the single largest risk factor for developing the disorder is a positive family history. Therefore early antecedents of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder can be identified by studying children of parents with these disorders. We aimed to compare psychopathological profiles of children aged 7 with familial high risk for developing schizophrenia (FHR-SZ) or bipolar disorder (FHR-BP). Methods: Nationwide Danish registers were used to establish a population based cohort of 7-year-old children with FHR-SZ (N=202), FHR-BP (120) and controls (200). Psychopathology of the children was assessed both categorically and dimensionally and from multiple informants including children, parents and teachers. Lifetime diagnoses and psychotic like experiences (PLEs) were ascertained through the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children - Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL). Psychopathology was assessed dimensionally with the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), the Teacher’s Report Form (TRF), the ADHD-Rating Scale, the Test Observation Form (TOF) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAI-CH). Current level of functioning was assessed with the Children’s Global Assessment Scale (CGAS). Results: We found marked differences between the three groups in several domains of psychopathology including PLEs and level of functioning. Results will be presented at the meeting. Conclusion: Children with familial risk of especially schizophrenia but also bipolar disorder have a higher prevalence of a broad spectrum of psychiatric disorders and psychopathological symptoms including PLEs already at age 7 compared with controls. The results emphasize the need for research on early intervention strategies towards these children.
