Polydactyly and psychosis

Abstract

BackgroundAbnormalities presumed to occur during foetal life have been associated with schizophrenia. Polydactyly is a developmental abnormality but no previous association has been reported between Polydactyly and functional psychotic illness.MethodIndividuals with both Polydactyly and a functional psychosis were ascertained during a study of familial schizophrenia.ResultsFive such individuals were ascertained in the course of assessing 234 individuals with familial psychosis, giving a rate of Polydactyly in the sample of around 10 times the general population rate.ConclusionsThis study provides preliminary evidence that Polydactyly is over-represented in individuals with familial schizophrenia and related psychotic illnesses.