Abstract
Huxley, Mayr, Osmond and Hoffer have advanced the hypothesis that the persistence of schizophrenia at its currently high frequency of at least 1 per cent in most populations represented a polymorphic balance maintained by selectively favourable physiological properties. The evidence advanced in support of their hypothesis was fragmentary and inconclusive and, although their work has received considerable attention2–8, the physiological advantage hypothesis seems to have been given little credence in the literature.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Huxley, J., Mayr, E., Osmond, H., and Hoffer, A., Nature, 204, 220 (1964).
Alland, Jun., A., Eugen. Quart., 14, 158 (1967).
Erlenmeyer-Kimling, L., and Paradowski, W., Amer. Naturalist, 100, 651 (1966).
Hammer, M., and Zubin, J., J. Gen. Psychol., 78, 1151 (1968).
Kaplan, A. R., Nature, 210, 870 (1966).
Kaplan, A. R., Eugen. Quart., 14, 296 (1967).
Kuttner, R. E., Lorincz, A. B., and Swan, D. A., Psychol. Reps., 20, 407 (1967).
Kuttner, R. E., and Lorincz, A. B., Eugen. Quart., 13, 355 (1966).
Erlenmeyer-Kimling, L., Rainer, J. D., and Kallmann, F. J., in Psychopathology of Schizophrenia (edit. by Hoch, P., and Zubin, J.), 252 (Grune and Stratton, New York, 1967).
Essen-Möller, E., Acta Psychiat. Neurol. Scand. (Suppl. 8), 314 (1935).
Garrone, G., J. Genet. Hum., 11, 89 (1962).
Kallmann, F. J., The Genetics of Schizophrenia (J. J. Augustin, New York, 1938).
Jacobson, P. H., Milbank Mem. Fund Quart., 42, 36 (1964).
Canavan, M. M., and Clark, R., Ment. Hyg., 7, 137 (1923).
Sobel, D. E., Psychiat. Quart., 35, 60 (1961).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
ERLENMEYER-KIMLING, L. Mortality Rates in the Offspring of Schizophrenic Parents and a Physiological Advantage Hypothesis. Nature 220, 798–800 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1038/220798a0
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/220798a0
This article is cited by
-
Mortality by diseases and medical conditions in the offspring of parents with severe mental illness
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology (2020)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
