Schizophrenics born during the summer in the Northern Hemisphere tend to develop a more severe form of the mental illness than those born during the winter, a study said on Monday. An analysis of nearly 1,600 people with schizophrenia from six countries in that hemisphere found an association between June and July births and cases of “deficit” schizophrenia, which is characterized by an inability to experience pleasure, antisocial behavior and blunted speech. Symptoms of this type of schizophrenia tend to worsen more quickly and become more severe. Winter births were associated with non-deficit schizophrenia, which is characterized by hallucinations and incoherent and delusional thinking.
