Neuromotor deviation in offspring of psychotic mothers: a selective developmental deficiency in two groups of children at heightened psychiatric risk?

As part of a longitudinal investigation begun in the neonatal period, selected neuromotor behaviors and different facets of general mental development were investigated blind at 6 years of age in 64 index offspring of women with a history of schizophrenic, schizoaffective, affective and unspecified functional psychosis and in 95 control offspring of women with no history of psychosis. Compared with the controls, the offspring of psychotics (total index group) showed a significantly increased frequency of both multiple and specific neuromotor deviations. The offspring of women with schizophrenia and with unspecified functional psychosis showed increased rates of multiple neuromotor deviations, not found in the offspring of women with schizoaffective and affective psychoses. The neuromotor deviations were confirmed on Griffiths Developmental Test subscales reflecting gross and fine motor performance, and the deficits did not extend to subscales measuring cognitive ability and personal-social competence. No relationship was found between the individual subject's neonatal and 6-year deviation scores. The results suggest the existence of a selective neuromotor developmental deviation in the offspring of schizophrenics and women with unspecified functional psychosis. Different possible etiological factors are discussed.