Does intra-uterine growth discordance predict differential risk for adult psychiatric disorder in a population-based sample of monozygotic twins? (original) (raw)
Related papers
American Journal of Medical Genetics, 2001
The association between pregnancy and perinatal complications (PPCs) and risks for adult psychiatric disorders other than psychoses has received relatively limited attention. In this study, we aim to characterize the associations between PPCs and risks for anxiety, affective, substance use, and eating disorders in a population-based sample of twins. Personal interviews were conducted with 1,806 female twin subjects to assess their lifetime history of alcoholism, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, generalized anxiety disorder, major depression, panic disorder, simple phobias, and social phobias. PPCs were retrospectively assessed at personal interview with the subject's parents. The associations between PPCs and risks for psychiatric disorders are characterized using logistic regression. In this sample of twins, gestational age is associated with a significantly increased risk for anorexia nervosa and pregnancy complications are associated with a significantly increased risk for both anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Pregnancy and perinatal complications may be associated with an increased risk for eating disorders in women. ß
Monozygotic twin pairs discordant for lifetime anorexia nervosa: An exploratory investigation
Australian Journal of Psychology, 2004
Although there is an increasing understanding of the impact of genetic factors on the development of anorexia nervosa (AN), clear identification of environmental risk factors remains unclear. Using monozygotic twins discordant for a disorder can be a useful tool for identifying such environmental risk factors. Differences between nine pairs of female monozygotic twins in the Australian Twin Registry who were discordant for lifetime AN were investigated. Twins were compared on self-report measures, including measures of current and lifetime psychopathology, temperament and coping, and parental bonding. None of the twins currently met the weight criterion for AN, indicating that current psychopathology would be unlikely to affect results. The twin affected by past AN reported a higher birth weight but a lower current body mass index than their cotwin; the affected twin tended to be more anxious than their co-twin. It may be useful for larger studies to further explore differences between twins discordant for AN in the areas of novelty seeking, and ways of coping, especially with respect to seeking social support.
Twin research and human genetics : the official journal of the International Society for Twin Studies, 2017
Genetic and environmental factors contribute to the etiology of anorexia nervosa (AN). The co-twin control design is one of the most powerful methods available to evaluate environmental factors that could contribute to differences between monozygotic (MZ) twins who are discordant for AN. Using available data from a unique and rare sample of 22 Swedish female MZ pairs discordant for AN, we compared personality, life events, comorbidity, and health factors. Twins with AN had significantly higher perfectionism scores than unaffected co-twins and reported younger ages at first diet than unaffected co-twins who had dieted. Consistent with previous literature, more twins with AN reported gastrointestinal problems than unaffected co-twins. Although not significant due to low statistical power, more unaffected co-twins reported experiencing emotional neglect than twins with AN. Early dieting may be a harbinger of the development of AN or an early symptom. Higher perfectionism may represent ...
BMC Psychiatry
Background Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a severe disorder, for which genetic evidence suggests psychiatric as well as metabolic origins. AN has high somatic and psychiatric comorbidities, broad impact on quality of life, and elevated mortality. Risk factor studies of AN have focused on differences between acutely ill and recovered individuals. Such comparisons often yield ambiguous conclusions, as alterations could reflect different effects depending on the comparison. Whereas differences found in acutely ill patients could reflect state effects that are due to acute starvation or acute disease-specific factors, they could also reflect underlying traits. Observations in recovered individuals could reflect either an underlying trait or a “scar” due to lasting effects of sustained undernutrition and illness. The co-twin control design (i.e., monozygotic [MZ] twins who are discordant for AN and MZ concordant control twin pairs) affords at least partial disambiguation of these effects. Meth...
Developmental Science, 2006
This longitudinal monozygotic (MZ) twin differences study explored associations between birthweight and early family environment and teacher-rated behaviour problems and academic achievement at age 7. MZ differences in anxiety, hyperactivity, conduct problems, peer problems and academic achievement correlated significantly with MZ differences in birthweight and early family environment, showing effect sizes of up to 2%. As predicted by earlier research, associations increased at the extremes of discordance, even in a longitudinal, cross-rater design, with effect sizes reaching as high as 12%. As with previous research some of these nonshared environmental (NSE) relationships appeared to operate partly as a function of SES, family chaos and maternal depression. Higher-risk families generally showed stronger negative associations.
Double Bind: A Study of Two Pairs of Female Monozygotic Twins Concordant for Anorexia Nervosa
British Journal of Psychotherapy, 1999
The cases of two pairs of female monozygotic twins concordant for anorexia nervosa are considered in order to explore the interrelationship between the psychodynamics of the twin relationship and the psychopathology of anorexia. It is suggested that twins face a dual task of separation-individuation-from mother and from the other twin-and that separationindividuation between monozygotic twins presents particular difficulties. Anorexia nervosa may represent an attempt to avoid separation by means of a retreat to a pre-adolescent state in which differences, envy and rivalry can be denied.