Later paternal age and sex differences in schizophrenia symptoms

Rosenfield, Paul J.; Kleinhaus, Karine; Opler, Mark; Perrin, Mary; Learned, Nicole; Goetz, Raymond; Stanford, Arielle; Messinger, Julie; Harkavy-Friedman, Jill; Malaspina, Dolores

doi:10.1016/j.schres.2009.10.020

« Previous Next »Schizophrenia Research
Volume 116, Issue 2 , Pages 191-195, February 2010

Later paternal age and sex differences in schizophrenia symptoms

Paul J. Rosenfield
- Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, United States
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States
- Corresponding author. 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, Present address: 119W 57th St, Ste 620, New York, NY 10019, United States. Tel.: +1 212 956 6027; fax: +1 212 956 6029.
Karine Kleinhaus
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States
Mark Opler
- New York University, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, United States
Mary Perrin
- New York University, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, United States
Nicole Learned
- New York University, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, United States
Raymond Goetz
- Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, United States
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States
- New York University, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, United States
Arielle Stanford
- Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, United States
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States
Julie Messinger
- New York University, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, United States
Jill Harkavy-Friedman
- Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, United States
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States
Dolores Malaspina
- New York University, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, United States

Received 24 June 2009; received in revised form 1 October 2009; accepted 22 October 2009. published online 18 November 2009.

Abstract

Objective

Advanced paternal age is consistently associated with an increased risk for schizophrenia, accounting for up to a quarter of cases in some populations. If paternal age-related schizophrenia (PARS) involves a distinct etiopathology, then PARS cases may show specific characteristics, vis-à-vis other schizophrenia cases. This study examined if PARS exhibits the symptom profile and sex differences that are consistently observed for schizophrenia in general, wherein males have an earlier onset age and more severe negative symptoms than females.

Method

Symptoms were assessed at baseline (admission) and during medication-free and treatment phases for 153 inpatients on a schizophrenia research unit, 38 of whom fulfilled operationally defined criteria for PARS (sporadic cases with paternal age ≥35).

Results

Males and females with PARS had the same age at onset and a similar preponderance of negative symptoms, whereas the other (non-PARS) cases showed the typical earlier onset age and more severe negative symptoms in males. When medications were withdrawn, PARS cases showed significantly worse symptoms than non-PARS cases (higher total PANSS scores and positive, activation, and autistic preoccupation scores). However these symptoms globally improved with antipsychotic treatment, such that the differences between the PARS and other schizophrenia cases receded.

Conclusion

The lack of sex differences in the age at onset and the greater severity of medication-free symptoms bolster the hypothesis that PARS has a distinct etiopathology. It also suggests that female sex does not exert a protective effect on the course of PARS, as it may in other forms of schizophrenia.

Keywords: Genetics, Heterogeneity, Positive symptoms, Negative symptoms