Gc serum groups and schizophrenia.

Abstract

In an epidemiological study of schizophrenia in a North Swedish isolate, Böök et al. (1978) reported an association between schizophrenia and the genetic marker Gc2. In an attempt to confirm this observation, we examined a series of schizophrenic patients from Västerbotton County in Northern Sweden. In our material there was no difference between schizophrenic patients and controls with respect to the frequencies of Gc groups or genes. A reanalysis of the material by Böök et al. (1978) showed that schizophrenics compared to controls had a significant increase in the frequency of the Gc 2-1 group, but not of the Gc2 gene. The Gc distribution in the material by Böök et al. (1978) was similar to that previously reported by us in a series of patients with cycloid psychosis.