---
title: "Psych News Alert: Schizophrenia and Epilepsy May Run in Families"
description: Schizophrenia and epilepsy co-occur at elevated rates within individuals and within families, researchers reported in the May 1 Biological P...
image: https://alert.psychnews.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/DNA_Final_75049090-Jun-24-2025-06-16-57-1413-PM.gif
---

 6/4/12 12:00 AM

# Schizophrenia and Epilepsy May Run in Families

![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [ Psychiatric News Alert ](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert)

Share: [facebook-f icon ](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://alert.psychnews.org/2012/06/schizophrenia-and-epilepsy-may-run-in.html) [linkedin-in icon ](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://alert.psychnews.org/2012/06/schizophrenia-and-epilepsy-may-run-in.html) [Twitter icon ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://alert.psychnews.org/2012/06/schizophrenia-and-epilepsy-may-run-in.html) [pinterest-p icon ](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=https://alert.psychnews.org/2012/06/schizophrenia-and-epilepsy-may-run-in.html) [envelope icon ](mailto:?body=https://alert.psychnews.org/2012/06/schizophrenia-and-epilepsy-may-run-in.html)

[![](https://alert.psychnews.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/DNA_Final_75049090-Jun-24-2025-06-16-58-0497-PM.gif)](https://alert.psychnews.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/DNA_Final_75049090-Jun-24-2025-06-16-58-0497-PM.gif) Schizophrenia and epilepsy co-occur at elevated rates within individuals and within families, researchers reported in the May 1 *Biological Psychiatry*. These results suggest that epilepsy and schizophrenia may share some of the same genes.

Bipolar disorder and schizophrenia may also share some of the same genes since a Swedish study found that the two illnesses often overlap within families. Moreover, the two illnesses share some of the same brain abnormalities and symptoms. See *Psychiatric News<https://www.blogger.com/goog_1925387474>* [here](http://psychnews.psychiatryonline.org/newsarticle.aspx?articleid=112924). For a primer on psychiatric illness and genetics, see *[Psychiatric Genetics: Applications in Clinical Practice](http://www.appi.org/SearchCenter/Pages/SearchDetail.aspx?ItemId=62206)* by American Psychiatric Publishing.

(Image: Zketch/Shutterstock.com)

[schizophrenia](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/schizophrenia), [bipolar disorder](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/bipolar-disorder), [epilepsy](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/epilepsy), [genes](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/genes)

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## [Substance Use-Induced Psychosis Highly Correlated With Later Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder](https://alert.psychnews.org/2017/11/substance-use-induced-psychosis-highly.html)

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[schizophrenia](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/schizophrenia), [substance use](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/substance-use), [alcohol use](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/alcohol-use), [psychosis](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/psychosis), [bipolar disorder](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/bipolar-disorder), [American Journal of Psychiatry](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/american-journal-of-psychiatry), [cannabis use](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/cannabis-use)

## [Psychosis Induced by Substance Use Linked to Schizophrenia](https://alert.psychnews.org/2023/05/psychosis-induced-by-substance-use.html)

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[schizophrenia](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/schizophrenia), [amphetamines](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/amphetamines), [schizotypal disorder](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/schizotypal-disorder), [opioids](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/opioids), [cannabis](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/cannabis), [Carsten Hjorthøj](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/carsten-hjorth%C3%B8j), [substance use disorder](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/substance-use-disorder), [JAMA Psychiatry](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/jama-psychiatry)

## [Substance Use Associated With Conversion From Schizotypal Disorder to Schizophrenia](https://alert.psychnews.org/2018/04/substance-use-associated-with.html)

![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert) 

 4/25/18 12:00 AM

An estimated 25% to 50% of patients diagnosed with schizotypal disorder develop schizophrenia...

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