Schizophrenia bulletin
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Schizophrenia bulletin · May 2009
Prenatal malnutrition and adult schizophrenia: further evidence from the 1959-1961 Chinese famine.
Evidence from the 1944-1995 Dutch Hunger Winter and the 1959-1961 Chinese famines suggests that those conceived or in early gestation during famines, have a 2-fold increased risk of developing schizophrenia in adult life. We tested the hypothesis in a second Chinese population and also determined whether risk differed between urban and rural areas. ⋯ We observe a 2-fold increased risk of schizophrenia among those conceived or in early gestation at the height of famine with risk related to severity of famine conditions.