Quote:
Originally Posted by costello
One of the theories I've heard about the winter month birth thing has to do with vitamin D. The mom maybe had lower vitamin D at the end of the pregnancy due to less sun exposure.
I remember once a woman came on a forum saying she was marrying a man with sz and wanting to know what she could do to minimize sz in her children. I suggested she try to schedule conception so the baby wasn't born in the winter.  |
I personally back the theory of low vitamin D3 calcitriol levels in winter as a contributing factor in schizophrenia. Calcitriol, which is the active metabolite of vitamin D3, is an astrocyte glutathione catalyst and modulator. Neuronal glutathione is produced from astrocyte glutathione. The other theory is infection, but this would not explain why the best time to conceive is early winter. Actually both of these theories can complement one another, as infections are known to increase reactive oxygen species and oxidative damage... glutathione is the principal compound the body uses to defend itself against oxidative stress.
If you look at the stats I posted, 0 of 58 participates here were born in early autumn... and autumn births apparently have the lowest rates of mental health complications, but that would place conception at early winter. So all you ladies, in the northern hemisphere, I would literately wait until the day of Christmas or New Years to conceive a child.