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Sensorimotor and cognitive development of infants of mothers with schizophrenia

Background The parenting environment provided by mothers with schizophrenia is likely to contribute to the cognitive impairment observed in their offspring. Aims To assess the relative contribution of maternal schizophrenia, obstetric factors and mothers' lifestyle to the cognitive development of infants in their first year. Method The Bayley Scales of Infant Development were administered to 19 infants of mothers with schizophrenia, 34 with non-psychotic depression in the mother, 29 with affective psychosis in the mother and 24 normal controls when the babies were two and seven months of age. Results At two months, infants of mothers with schizophrenia and of those with affective psychosis had lower mental development index (MDI) scores than controls. At seven months, infants of mothers with schizophrenia had lower MDI scores than all other groups. When infant birth weight and mothers' social class were taken into account there was no effect of maternal schizophrenia on infants' MDI scores. Conclusions Infants of mothers with schizophrenia are likely to have impaired cognitive development. This may be due in part to environmental factors such as the mother's lifestyle.