1 August, 2007

Pathogenetic proposal potentially preposterous

So; is there an association between the use of heeled footwear and schizophrenia?

This abstract (discovered via Bad Science, but let's not prejudge it) suggests a causal link between the first occurrence of schizophrenia and the invention of the heeled shoe ~1,000 years ago, and in the increased prevalence of schizophrenia at the introduction of mechanised shoe production.
Those sound like a non-sequiturs to me (Ben G. wonders whether it's important transcultural psychiatry research or a situationist spoof), but I'm no expert. It may be revealing that the hypothesis, which "finds support in all facts and is contradicted by none" is based on "a selective literature review and synthesis".

If it's right, Helen's really ****ed, though I'm alright: apparently "bicycle riding reduces depression in schizophrenia".