Hospital-Treated Psychosis and Suicide in a Rural Community (1877-2005). Part 2: Genetic Founder Effects

This purpose of this study was to demonstrate the existence of genetic founder effects in hospital-treated cases of psychosis & self-harm in historical cohorts of a small rural population in Norway. These cohorts included named persons born after 1845. The cumulative case registers were linked to the purported pedigrees of three presumed mentally ill founders living in the community in the 17th & 18th centuries. A preponderance of organic mental disorders & schizophrenia in the twice-exposed founder population & of other non-organic psychosis & self-harm in the thrice-exposed founder population. The founder effect seems to run independently of that detected in affective psychotic disorders & intentional self-harm. (44 refs)