GB 0100 KCLCA IOP/TWIN - Institute of Psychiatry, Maudsley Twin Psychosis studies

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0100 KCLCA IOP/TWIN

Title

Institute of Psychiatry, Maudsley Twin Psychosis studies

Date(s)

  • [1934-2000] (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

130 records management boxes

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

In 1936 Eliot Slater obtained a Medical Recearch Council grant to set up a twin register. In 1948 that led to a system at the Maudsley Hospital by which every patient was asked if they were born a twin and if they were, their names went on a register. The resulting Maudsley Twin Register formed the basis of much high quality research. This included a key monograph on the genetics of schizophrenia by Irving Gottesman and James (Jerry) Shields as members of the Psychiatric Genetics Unit. They argued the probabilistic rather than deterministic role of gender and were the first to apply a genetic - environmental multifactorial threshold model in modern psychiatry. In 1969 Slater retired and the Psychiatric Genetics Unit closed but research continued under Shields. Following his death in 1978 a section on psychiatric genetics was established within the Department of Psychiatry at the Institute of Psychiatry, based at the Maudsley, under the leadership of Professor Robin Murray. Successive studies of adult and child twins, drawing on the Twins Register, have and continue to shed light on the epidemiology and genetic and environmental causes of or impact on schizophrenia and other personality disorders.

Archival history

GB 0100 KCLCA IOP/TWIN [1934-2000] Collection (fonds) 130 records management boxes Institute of Psychiatry

In 1936 Eliot Slater obtained a Medical Recearch Council grant to set up a twin register. In 1948 that led to a system at the Maudsley Hospital by which every patient was asked if they were born a twin and if they were, their names went on a register. The resulting Maudsley Twin Register formed the basis of much high quality research. This included a key monograph on the genetics of schizophrenia by Irving Gottesman and James (Jerry) Shields as members of the Psychiatric Genetics Unit. They argued the probabilistic rather than deterministic role of gender and were the first to apply a genetic - environmental multifactorial threshold model in modern psychiatry. In 1969 Slater retired and the Psychiatric Genetics Unit closed but research continued under Shields. Following his death in 1978 a section on psychiatric genetics was established within the Department of Psychiatry at the Institute of Psychiatry, based at the Maudsley, under the leadership of Professor Robin Murray. Successive studies of adult and child twins, drawing on the Twins Register, have and continue to shed light on the epidemiology and genetic and environmental causes of or impact on schizophrenia and other personality disorders.

Received from the Institute of Psychiatry in two accessions, Jan and Sep 2006.

Papers reflecting a series of studies of twins utilising the Maudsley Twin Register, 1932-1999, reflecting the respective impacts of genetics and environment on a range of psychotic disorders, notably schizophrenia. Records include patient files/notes, 1932-1998; patient study profiles arising from tests, questionnaires and comments, 1948-1998; administrative records relating to funding applications to the Medical Record Council, ethical approval, and recruitment of subjects, 1948-1998. Studies include Opposite Sex Twin Study, Kendall Depressives Twin Study, Multiple Psychotic Families Twin Study, Maudsley Adult Twins Study, Anxious Twins Series, Personality Disorder Twin Study, Separated Twin Study, Psychotic Twin Studies, and the Gottesman and Shields series of studies on schizophrenia. The work of Professor Robin M Murray, Dr Adrienne M Reveley, Dr Alison M MacDonald and R Fulrich are also particularly reflected in the files.

Awaiting arrangement.

The collection contains sensitive personal information and medical details, apply to the Director of Archives and Information Management, King's College London, for details on access.

The collection contains sensitive personal information and medical details, apply to the Director of Archives and Information Management, King's College London, for details on reproductions.

English

No additional finding aids.

Institute of Psychiatry, Familial and Environmental Factors in Functional Psychosis Study (ref: IOP/FAM)
Twins' Early Development Study (TEDS)(ref: IOP/TEDS).

Entry compiled by Sarah Drewery, 2008.
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Jan 2008 Psychoses Psychiatry Psychopathology Mental diseases Personality disorders Pathology Diseases Schizophrenia Medical research Murray , Robin M , Professor of Psychiatry Institute of Psychiatry

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Received from the Institute of Psychiatry in two accessions, Jan and Sep 2006.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Papers reflecting a series of studies of twins utilising the Maudsley Twin Register, 1932-1999, reflecting the respective impacts of genetics and environment on a range of psychotic disorders, notably schizophrenia. Records include patient files/notes, 1932-1998; patient study profiles arising from tests, questionnaires and comments, 1948-1998; administrative records relating to funding applications to the Medical Record Council, ethical approval, and recruitment of subjects, 1948-1998. Studies include Opposite Sex Twin Study, Kendall Depressives Twin Study, Multiple Psychotic Families Twin Study, Maudsley Adult Twins Study, Anxious Twins Series, Personality Disorder Twin Study, Separated Twin Study, Psychotic Twin Studies, and the Gottesman and Shields series of studies on schizophrenia. The work of Professor Robin M Murray, Dr Adrienne M Reveley, Dr Alison M MacDonald and R Fulrich are also particularly reflected in the files.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Awaiting arrangement.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

The collection contains sensitive personal information and medical details, apply to the Director of Archives and Information Management, King's College London, for details on access.

Conditions governing reproduction

The collection contains sensitive personal information and medical details, apply to the Director of Archives and Information Management, King's College London, for details on reproductions.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Institute of Psychiatry, Familial and Environmental Factors in Functional Psychosis Study (ref: IOP/FAM)
Twins' Early Development Study (TEDS)(ref: IOP/TEDS).

Finding aids

No additional finding aids.

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

King's College London College Archives

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area