Objective: Schizophrenia is a relatively common, often chronic and debilitating mental illness. Evidence from various studies has clearly demonstrated that genetic factors contribute substantially to the etiology. The goal of this study was to identify chromosomal regions likely to contain schizophrenia susceptibility genes. Methods: A genome-wide map of 388 microsatellite DNA markers was genotyped in 5 schizophrenia families. Nonparametric linkage analysis (Genehunter) was used to assess the pattern of allele sharing at each marker locus relative to the presence of disease. Results: Nonparametric linkage scores did not reach a genome-wide level of statistical significance (p < 0.00002) or a p value suggestive of linkage (p < 0.007) for any marker; however, one p value suggested replicated linkage (p < 0.01) at chromosome 6p24 in region D6S309 (p = 0.0047). Furthermore, 11 markers resulted in p < 0.05 at chromosomes 6p, 6q, 10q, 12q and 14q. Conclusions: Despite the differences in diagnostic schemes, in markers used and methods of analyses between studies published so far, we think that our result supports the notion that there is possibly some consistent evidence for replicated linkage of a schizophrenia susceptibility locus around the region of D6S309 at chromosome 6p24.

One of the central purposes of cross-cultural psychiatry is to scrutinize the sociocultural influences on the phenomenology of psychiatric diseases. On the other hand it is possible to lay bare a nucleus of symptoms, common to all cultures, which, independently of all influences, occupies a central position for an understanding of the disease considered. In this study an attempt was made to approach this problem by means of investigating the contents of delusion of schizophrenic patients in Austria and Pakistan. The contents of delusion among 126 Austrian and 108 Pakistani patients diagnosed as having schizophrenia according to DSM-III-R (art. 295) were compared following the classification of Huber and Gross. Additionally the kind of persecution and the type of the persecutor were registered. However it appeared that only a few contents of delusion are frequent in both countries. In both countries persecution was the most frequently mentioned content of delusion. The comparison of the contents of delusion revealed significantly higher frequencies of delusions of grandeur, guilt and religious delusions in Austrian patients. Significant differences could also be found with the kind of persecution and the persecutor’s type. Cultural factors seem to have a decisive influence on shaping the contents of delusion.

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This article discusses the social construction of the victim and analyses conditions for ascription of the victim role. As a neutral point of reference a scientific construction of the victim is presented. It is agued that for the concept of victimisation to apply within the realm of victimological research and practice five minimum criteria should be fulfilled. Suffering directly or indirectly from victimisation, as defined in this way, is regarded as a precondition for ascription of the victim role. Additional conditions in given social contexts are discussed and a theoretical model for the successful communication of victimisation introduced. Results from interviews with Thrkish men and women living in Germany are presented in order to illustrate the model.

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