Investigating the relationship between prenatal infections and the incidence of schizophrenia

Introduction: Schizophrenia is a complex and challenging mental illness characterized by disruptions in mood,behavior, and thinking. It is a type of psychotic disorder that can be influenced by various factors before andafter birth. This review aims to investigate the correlation between prenatal infections and the occurrence ofschizophrenia.Methods and Materials: This review study was conducted by analyzing articles from various databases suchas PubMed, Magiran, Scopus, Science Direct, and Web of Science. The search was conducted from ۲۰۱۸ to۲۰۲۳, and a total of ۲۲ articles were initially collected. After careful screening, ۱۸ eligible articles were includedin the final compilation. The study focused on prenatal infection, schizophrenia, and psychotic disorders, andincluded both foreign and domestic sources.Results: Studies have shown that prenatal infections such as rubella, influenza, and herpes simplex affect theincidence and development of schizophrenia. Various infectious agents lead to inflammatory responses in thedeveloping fetal brain, and an increase in these inflammatory mediators secondary to maternal infection willincrease damage to the brain and white matter regions of the brain that are associated with schizophrenia.Conclusion: It is recommended to provide necessary training on the prevention of prenatal infections andestablish periodic screening conditions due to the relationship between such infections and the occurrence ofschizophrenia. Given the high prevalence of various infections during pregnancy, it is important to takeproactive measures to reduce the risk and promote healthy pregnancies

کلیدواژه ها:

Prenatal infection ، Schizophrenia ، Psychotic disorders