Season of Birth Effects

Last week's issue of New Scientist magazine has a really interesting article on the relationships Scientists are finding between Birth Month and various psychiatric illnesses and even personality traits. (Jan. 27-Feb. 2, 2007 issue, "Born Under a Bad Sign" by Alison Motluk. p. 40)

It all started with Moritz Tramer, a Swiss psychologist, who discovered in 1929 that people who are born in late Winter are more likely to develop schizophrenia. There are a few theories why, mostly having to do with the mother not getting enough Sun. The Sun triggers Vitamin D production which is directly linked to brain development in Fetuses.

Jayanti Chotai at Umea University in Sweden is doing studies connecting genes with tryptophan, serotonin, and dopamine receptors in the brain to Birth Month as well as recognized Mental Problems. Whew, at least I think that's what he's doing. What a run-on. Serotonin seems linked to men born in January who suffer depression and bipolar disorder. Dopamine linked to Women born in October and also to psychosis. He's also discovered that personality traits can be connected. "Novelty Seekers" are more likely to be born in April and May, for example. That truly is an Aries trait so this could be very interesting. He also studied "Reward Dependence" as well as "Early Birds" v. "Night Owls."

Here's a list of Season of Birth Effects for people born in the Northern Hemisphere. The percentage differences between these months aren't that great, well, except for the Schizophrenics (17%), so don't worry if your birth month is included.

Schizophrenia: Feb-Apr.
Suicides and Anorexics: Apr-June
Panic Disorder: Sept-Dec.
Alcoholism in Males: Sept-Nov.

Here's a link, maybe the whole article will be linked: www.newscientist.com/channel/health/mental-health.