SynthesisSchizophrenia research2012
Childhood infection and adult schizophrenia: a meta-analysis of population-based studies.
Synthesis in Schizophrenia research, 2012. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 116 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
116 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 260 citations in OpenAlex.
- Specificity of environmental risk factors for schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, and depressive disorders - umbrella review.Psychological medicine · 2025Pooled it
- Environmental Risk Factors in Bipolar Disorder and Psychotic Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies.Schizophrenia bulletin · 2021Pooled it
- Neuroinflammation in schizophrenia: meta-analysis ofPsychological medicine · 2019Pooled it
- Distinct Gut Microbial Signatures and Diminished Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Short-Chain Fatty Acids in Schizophrenia With Immune Activation.Schizophrenia bulletin · 2026Article
- Infections and severe mental illness: a population-based matched cohort study.BMJ mental health · 2026Article
- High prevalence of CNS-directed autoantibodies in patients with schizophrenia.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026Article
- Disturbed Functional Connectivity Between Anterior Default Mode and Sensory Processing Regions Is Linked to Peripheral Inflammatory Markers and Psychopathology in Schizophrenia.Schizophrenia bulletin · 2026Article
- Examining whether inflammation mediates effects of genetic risk and trauma on psychopathology.BJPsych open · 2025Article
- Ningbo Schizophrenia Cohort (NSC)-a longitudinal ambispective cohort based on electronic health records: cohort profile.BMJ open · 2025Observational
- Nucleus Accumbens Proteome Disbalance in an Adolescent Mouse Model of Schizophrenia and Nicotine Misuse Comorbidity.Biomedicines · 2025Article
- Plant-derived polyphenolic compounds for managing schizophrenia: mechanisms and therapeutic potential.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2025Review
- Perinatal Hypoxia and Immune System Activation in Schizophrenia Pathogenesis: Critical Considerations During COVID-19 Pandemic.Physiological research · 2024Review
- Impact of second-generation antipsychotics monotherapy or combined therapy in cytokine, lymphocyte subtype, and thyroid antibodies for schizophrenia: a retrospective study.BMC psychiatry · 2024Article
- Environmental risk factors for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder from childhood to diagnosis: a Swedish nested case-control study.Psychological medicine · 2024Article
- The complement system in neurodegenerative and inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system.Frontiers in neurology · 2024Review
- Urbanicity and psychotic disorders: Facts and hypotheses.Dialogues in clinical neuroscience · 2023Review
- Microglial contribution to the pathology of neurodevelopmental disorders in humans.Acta neuropathologica · 2023Review
- Causal role of immune cells in schizophrenia: Mendelian randomization (MR) study.BMC psychiatry · 2023Article
- Counting the Toll of Inflammation on Schizophrenia-A Potential Role for Toll-like Receptors.Biomolecules · 2023Review
- A Sex-Dependent Association Between Doxycycline Use and Development of Schizophrenia.Schizophrenia bulletin · 2023Article
56 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
objectiveTo determine whether exposures to infectious illness during childhood involving the CNS or elsewhere is associated with adult schizophrenia or other psychoses.
methodSystematic review and meta-analysis of published literature identified by electronic and manual search meeting three inclusion criteria: population-base, objective assessment of childhood infection at the individual level, standard definition of adult psychotic outcomes. We calculated risk ratio for all CNS infection, and separately for viral and bacterial infection in relation to non-affective psychosis and schizophrenia, which was combined in meta-analysis.
resultsSeven studies were included. Meta-analysis involving 2424 cases and over 1.2 million controls showed CNS viral infection was associated with nearly two-fold increased risk of adult non-affective psychosis (risk ratio 1.70; 95% CI 1.13-2.55; p=0.01). There was no significant heterogeneity between studies (p=0.26; I(2)=20%). Separate meta-analysis involving 1035 cases and over 1.2 million controls suggested all childhood CNS infections, particularly viral infections, may be associated with nearly two-fold risk of adult schizophrenia. However, there was evidence of some heterogeneity between these studies (p=0.07; I(2)=70%). CNS bacterial infections were not associated with risk of psychosis. Data on childhood infections with no obvious involvement of the CNS is insufficient.
conclusionsThese findings indicate childhood CNS viral infections increase the risk of adult psychotic illness. Possible mechanisms may include both direct effects of pathogens, and the effects of inflammatory response on the developing brain.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.