Gluten Intolerance Linked to Schizophrenia
But Only Small Subset of Patients Probably Have the Digestive Disorder
Many Different Causes
He says the latest findings support the growing belief that schizophrenia has many different causes.
"The thinking is that instead of finding the magic gene or an environmental influence that is responsible for most cases, we will find dozens and maybe a hundred causes that each may each explain a small percentage of cases," he says.
Schizophrenia researcher William T. Carpenter, MD, of the University of Maryland, says it is now almost certain that no single gene will be implicated as the cause of the disease. He adds that seven different genotypes have been linked to schizophrenia so far and others are likely to be discovered. Carpenter is director of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center at the University of Maryland.
The thinking is that genetically susceptible people develop schizophrenia when they are exposed to certain environmental triggers. Environmental influences that have been linked to the mental disorder include pregnancy problems, particularly in the second trimester; difficult delivery; having a father who is older; and the use of certain recreational drugs.
"For example, you may have a situation where a person has eight vulnerability genes and their mother had the flu in mid-trimester," Carpenter tells WebMD. "That double hit just might increase the likelihood of developing schizophrenia."