Who is most at risk for developing schizophrenia?

Who is most at risk for developing schizophrenia?

Christopher Reist (Academic Psychiatrist, Co-Author of “Psychiatry”) gives expert video advice on: What are the most common dangers associated with schizophrenia?; How will a psychiatrist determine whether I suffer from schizophrenia?; What are the common treatments for schizophrenia? and more...

Since we don't know the specific cause of schizophrenia, it's hard to predict who's going to develop it. We do know there is a substantial genetic risk. For example, if you have a first-degree relative or a parent with schizophrenia, the likelihood of you developing schizophrenia increases dramatically. There are some ongoing studies that are attempting to identify what we call prodromal symptoms in children and adolescents. If these certain types of symptoms are present, then there's a feeling that these individuals may be at risk for developing the full-blown disorder later on. The big question that remains is: if you intervene early on, can you affect whether or not these individuals go on to develop the disease?