1976 rare infantile autism and childhood schizophrenia

The genetics, if any, of infantile autism and childhood schizophrenia
Journal Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
Publisher Springer Netherlands
ISSN 0162-3257 (Print) 1573-3432 (Online)
Issue Volume 6, Number 3 / September, 1976
Category Articles
DOI 10.1007/BF01543463
Pages 209-234
PDF (1.5 MB)

Articles
The genetics, if any, of infantile autism and childhood schizophrenia
D. R. Hanson2 and I. I. Gottesman1

(1) University of Minnesota, USA
(2) Department of Psychology, McMaster University, L8S 4K1 Hamilton, Ontario, Canada


Abstract A critical examination of the data for and against genetic factors in early infantile autism and childhood schizophrenia is presented. The extreme rareness of both disorders made analysis difficult. No strong evidence exists implicating genetics in the development of childhood psychoses that begin before the age of 5. Family pedigree data fail to support psychogenic transmission because very few siblings of early onset cases are affected. Biological but not genetic etiological agents are more likely. Genetic factors are implicated in the development of psychoses that begin near pubescence and such factors appear to overlap with those for adult schizophrenia. Reevaluation of the minimum age of onset for adult-type schizophrenia is suggested.
We wish to express our thanks to Drs. James Shields and Barbara Fish for their critical comments, many of which we accepted