Childhood may be a significant predictor for the development of psychotic-like experiences according to recent studies.

In a groundbreaking study, researchers at the University of Rochester have found that social and environmental factors can play a significant role in the risk and development of psychotic-like experiences in pre-adolescent children. The study, published in Frontiers in Psychiatry, was conducted as part of the National Institutes of Health's Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, which involves over 11,000 children across multiple U.S. cities, including about 340 children from the Rochester metropolitan area since 2017.

The lead author of the study is David Dodell-Feder, Ph.D., an assistant professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Rochester. Abhishek Saxena, a graduate student in the department of Psychology at the University of Rochester, serves as the first author.

The study found that factors such as proximity to roads, houses with lead paint risks, families in poverty, and income disparity were associated with an increased risk of psychotic-like experiences in pre-adolescent children. The more urban the environment a child lived in, the greater number of psychotic-like experiences they had over a year's time.

The research, funded by the National Institutes of Health, is significant as it could have a major impact on public health initiatives to reduce the risk of psychotic-like experiences. The study highlights the importance of early prevention, emphasizing that addressing social and environmental factors at a young age could be crucial in mitigating the risk.

The study aims to understand how biological development, behaviours, and experiences impact brain maturation and other aspects of a child's life, including academic achievement, social development, and overall health. It is unique in its focus on the impact of social and environmental factors on the risk and development of schizophrenia spectrum disorders, starting at a very young age.

The University of Rochester Medical Center is one of 21 research sites across the country participating in the National Institutes of Health ABCD Study. The study's findings are in line with past research conducted in young adults, but have not been found like this in pre-adolescence. These findings are significant as they could pave the way for more targeted public health initiatives and interventions aimed at reducing the risk of psychotic-like experiences in young children.

Childhood may be a significant predictor for the development of psychotic-like experiences according to recent studies.