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Paternal age and schizophrenia: a population based cohort study

BMJ 2004; 329 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.38243.672396.55 (Published 04 November 2004) Cite this as: BMJ 2004;329:1070

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Yin, yang and yin-yang.

"It is generally believed that certain organelles of the eukaryotic
cell, especially mitochondria and chloroplasts, originated as bacterial
endosymbionts. This theory is known as the endosymbiotic theory. . An
endosymbiont (also known as intracellular symbiont) is any organism that
lives within cells of another organism, i.e. forming an endosymbiosis...
Several insect species contain obligate bacterial endosymbionts"(1).

In the absence of mitochondria in human cells ATP resynthesis must be
is exclusively anaerobic. If mitochondria are endosymbionts then they
provided, therefore, human cells with the capacity to replenish ATP
resynthesis by oxidative phosphorylation. In so doing might they also have
also transformed human cells from being poikilothermic into being
homeothermic? If they did then the capacity to regulate heat must reside
within mitochondria and possibly be a function of pH which rises when the
temperature falls and falls whe it rises (2).

In a sense, therefore, female (yin) mitochondrial endosymbionts were
the evolutionary origin of the yin/yang concept in eastern philosophy and
medicine.

If mood and behavioural disorders are the product of an impairment of
temperature regultion (4), and the aging of paternal mitochondria is a
contributing factor as James Howard suggests, perhaps powdered
rhinoscerous horn is a remedy for aging being reputedly a supply of yang
and therefore an aphrodisiac and supposedly the origin of the term
horny(4). It might even exert a psychotropic effect by decreasing the
amplitude of the diurnal and monthly and seasonal variations in body
temperature (5).

But James Howard claims, "It is been "unequivocally proven" that
paternal, mitochondria does enter, and become part of the mitochondria of,
zygotes, later contributing to adult mitochondria (Biochem Biophys Res
Commun. 2003 Oct 17;310(2):247- 51)" (6). What then of the origin of
mitocondria? Yin, yang or yin-yang?

1. Definition of Endosymbiont. www.wordiq.com/definition/Endosymbiont

2. Severinghaus JW, Astrup P, Murray JF. Blood gas analysis and
critical care medicine.
Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 1998 Apr;157(4 Pt 2):S114-22.

3. The Madness of Adam and Eve: how schizophrenia shaped humanity. by
Dr David Horrobin
DPhil, MA, BM, BCh. Published by Bantam Press. 2001.

4. The Truth about Aphrodisiacs. www.umkc.edu/sites/hsw/aphro

5. Oxygen supply dependency: has it any clinical relevance?
Richard G Fiddian-Green (8 September 2004) eLetter re: HJ Silverman, J
Abrams, and LJ Rubin
Effects of interleukin-2 on oxygen delivery and consumption in patients
with advanced malignancy
Chest 1988; 94: 816-821

6. This could be due to low DHEA...
James M. Howard (24 October 2004) eLetter re: Attila Sipos, Finn
Rasmussen, Glynn Harrison, Per Tynelius, Glyn Lewis, David A Leon, and
David Gunnell
Paternal age and schizophrenia: a population based cohort study
BMJ 2004; 0: bmj.38243.672396.55v1-0

Competing interests:
None declared

Competing interests: No competing interests

25 October 2004
Richard G Fiddian-Green
FRCS, FACS
c/' Herhold, Maitland and Co, 44 Dover Street, London W1