The schizophrenia and Toxoplasma gondii connection: Infectious, immune or both?
Tamer, G. S., Dundar, D., Yalug, I., Caliskan, S., Yazar, S., Aker, A.
Advances in Therapy 2008; 25: 703-709
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Introduction: Recent research has suggested a possible link between toxoplasmic agents and schizophrenia. We aimed to assess this by measuring Toxoplasma gondii-associated antibodies in schizophrenia patients and controls.
Methods: We used a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit to measure the level of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM antibodies in serum samples from schizophrenia patients (n= 40) and from a group of non-schizophrenic control subjects (n= 37).
Results: Among schizophrenic patients, 16 (40%) showed IgG seropositivity and two (5%) showed IgM seropositivity. Among the control group, five (13.5%) were found have IgG seropositivity and one (2.7%) showed IgM seropositivity. In our study we found that IgG T gondii antibodies were significantly higher in schizophrenia patients compared with controls.
Conclusion: This study supports the theory that toxoplasmic agents may have a role in the aetiology of schizophrenia.