• About
  • Keywords

Toxoplasma gondii & Human Phenotype

Compendium of Known Effects and Ongoing Research

trypanosoma-brucei

Toxoplasma and schizophrenia

October 26, 2009
Yolken, R.H., Dickerson, F.B, Torrey, E.F.
Parasite Immunology 2009; 31: 706-715.
Click for abstract
Research on infectious agents as a possible cause of schizophrenia has become prominent in the past decade. Toxoplasma gondii has emerged as a prime candidate for a variety of reasons; (i) many studies have reported that individuals with schizophrenia, compared to controls, have a higher prevalence of antibodies to T. gondii, (ii) some individuals with adult toxoplasmosis develop psychotic symptoms similar to those of schizophrenia, (iii) epidemiologically, there are many similarities between toxoplasmosis and schizophrenia, (iv) antipsychotic drugs known to be effective in schizophrenia also inhibit some parasites, including T. gondii, (v) Toxoplasma has been shown to induce elevated levels of dopamine in experimentally infected animals (elevated dopamine is commonly seen in individuals with schizophrenia) and (vi) studies have shown that individuals with schizophrenia, compared to controls, have had greater exposure to cats in childhood. A number of questions remain concerning a role for Toxoplasma in the aetiology of schizophrenia, including the roles of strain variation, the timing and source of infection, and the role of host genes in determining disease susceptibility. The establishment of a firm association between Toxoplasma and the aetiology of schizophrenia and related disorders would represent a major breakthrough in the understanding of these disorders and would lead to novel methods for their treatment and prevention.

Tagged: affective disorders, behavioral alterations, congenital toxoplasmosis, gondii infection, latent toxoplasmosis, risk factors, Schizophrenia, Toxoplasma gondii, toxoplasmosis, traffic accidents, trypanosoma-brucei, trypanothione reductase, united-states

Mental health

Topics

  • Behavior 105
  • Cognitive functions 64
  • Mental health 439
  • Morphology 6
  • Motor functions 10
  • Personality 36
  • Physical health 134
  • Reproduction 36
  • Reviews 40
  • Sensory functions 3
  • Uncategorized 2

Archives

Recent articles

  • Mortality Patterns of Toxoplasmosis and Its Comorbidities in Tanzania: A 10-Year Retrospective Hospital-Based Survey February 6, 2020
  • The role of latent toxoplasmosis in the aetiopathogenesis of schizophrenia–the risk factor or an indication of a contact with cat? February 6, 2020
  • The Association between Toxoplasma gondii Infection and Risk of Parkinson’s Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis February 6, 2020

Recent Comments

  • tadalafil otc on Immediate rather than delayed memory impairment in older adults with latent toxoplasmosis
  • cialis usa on Toxoplasma gondii infection and suicide attempts a case-control study in psychiatric outpatients
  • alternative to cialis on The association between Toxoplasma gondii infection and postpartum blues
  • buy viagra online on Differences in cognitive functions between cytomegalovirus-infected and cytomegalovirus-free university students: a case control study
  • where to buy cialis on The link between toxoplasmosis and diabetes: modifications of pancreatic beta cells TC-6 infected by Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Copyright © 2022 Toxoplasma gondii & Human Phenotype.

ToxoBehavior WordPress Theme by Jelena Braum