The course of childhood psychopathology: The role of genetic factors and the association with parental symptoms

Abstract

Background: It is well established that psychopathology runs in the family, mostly due to heritable factors, but in childhood also due to common environmental factors. These genetic and familial factors may also influence the course. Objectives: This presentation will focus on (i) how genetic factors influence stability and (ii) how the course of childhood psychopathology is associated with childhood mental health. Methods: The role of genetic factors in stability has been investigated by analyses of twin data. Further, polygenic risk score analyses have been performed to show whether genetic factors play a role in the transition of childhood symptoms into severe adult mental illness such as schizophrenia. Finally, data collected in families evaluated at child and adolescent psychiatric outpatient clinics in the Netherlands were analyzed to estimate the association in the course of parental and offspring psychopathology Findings: The twin and polygenic risk score analyses revealed that genetic factors explain most of the persistence of symptoms from childhood to adulthood and also the development into severe mental illnesses. The clinical data showed that children with parents with mental health issues still have higher symptom scores at the end of treatment, which is mainly explained by their higher symptom scores at the start and by ongoing associations with parental symptoms. Conclusions: Genetic factors play a role in the course of psychiatric symptoms from childhood onwards. Families with both child and parent(s) suffering from psychopathology are a vulnerable group as they are at risk for poor outcomes.L6276967552019-05-21 <br />