• About
  • Keywords

Toxoplasma gondii & Human Phenotype

Compendium of Known Effects and Ongoing Research

psychotic

The association between Toxoplasma and the psychosis continuum in a general population setting

October 2, 2017 19 Comments
Lindgren, M., Torniainen-Holm, M., Yolken, R., Suvisaari, J.
Schizophrenia Bulletin 2017; 43: S108-S109
Click for abstract
Background: An increased prevalence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii has been found to be associated with psychosis. An association with positive symptom severity in a psychosis risk sample has also been reported. However, the possible association between toxoplasma and positive symptoms in the general population is unknown. Methods: We investigated whether Toxoplasma gondii is associated with psychosis diagnoses and psychotic symptoms in the general population. We used data from Health 2000, a large health survey of the Finnish population aged 30 and older (n = 5906). Levels of IgG antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii were determined and seropositivity defined as a cutoff of 50 IU/ml. Lifetime psychotic symptoms were identified with section G of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview, Munich version (M-CIDI). The CIDI screen was considered positive if the interviewee reported any clinically relevant symptom or at least 3 symptoms regardless of clinical relevance. Lifetime psychotic disorders were screened from the sample and were diagnosed with DSM-IV using case notes and SCID-I interview. The possible diagnoses were: any psychotic disorder, functional psychosis, schizophrenia, other nonaffective psychosis, and affective psychosis. Results: The seroprevalence of Toxoplasma in the population was 13%; 12% of the participants reported at least one psychotic symptom, the most common symptoms being delusions of reference and suspicion, and 4% were considered positive for the CIDI screen. In a logistic regression model, toxoplasma seropositivity was the only significant predictor of the CIDI screen status, when other variables associated with toxoplasma were adjusted for (age, gender, education, region of residence, cat ownership, and C-reactive protein measuring inflammation). Toxoplasma infection was not associated with any psychosis diagnoses. Conclusion: In a large sample representing the whole Finnish population aged 30 and older, we found that toxoplasma infection predicted psychotic symptoms but not psychosis diagnoses. The association between psychotic symptoms and toxoplasma was not explained by inflammation.

Tagged: affective disorders, antibodies, c-reactive protein, delusions, diagnostic and statistical manual, finnish, gender, health surveys, igg antibody, infection, inflammation, ownership, patient interview, psychotic, psychotic disorders, psychotic symptom, Schizophrenia, seroprevalence, severe combined immunodeficiency, Toxoplasma, Toxoplasma gondii

Mental health

Association between anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies and schizophrenia and psychotic bipolar in patients hospitalized in the psychiatric ward

October 6, 2016 12 Comments
Dalimiasl, A., Mosayebi, M., Ghorbanzadeh, B., Ghasemi, M., Hajihossein, R.
Australasian Medical Journal 2016; 9: 313-318
Click for abstract
Background Toxoplasmosis is caused by an intracellular parasite and is a worldwide disease. In laboratory, the parasites that cause the disease increases levels of dopamine in the brain tissue of treated mice. The evidence showed that dopamine releasing in the nucleus accumbens by activating the retro hippocampal region can disrupt the fornix section of brain as evolve to develop a psychosis in human. Methods This retrospective case-control study was conducted in patients with schizophrenia and psychotic bipolar referred to psychiatric clinic in Amir Kabir hospital, Arak. After psychiatric diagnosis of patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, 2ml of blood samples were acquired from 76 patients and 75 controls without any psychotic illness or bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses with safety issues. The serum of samples was separated in laboratory and was kept until the time of testing at -20 degrees C. After collecting all the samples; Anti-Toxoplasma IgG on the case and control samples were analysed by ELISA. Results were analysed by SPSS software version 16 and were calculated by chi 2 tests. Results 55.26 per cent of patients (42 persons) were infected with Toxoplasma gondii and in the control group 36 per cent (27 patients) were infected, that the different between them was significant (p<0/05). Toxoplasmosis in psychotic men was more than psychotic women significantly (p<0/05). Toxoplasma gondii infection in patients with schizophrenia with psychotic bipolar patients showed no significant difference. Conclusion Patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder showed significantly higher rate than healthy people against Toxoplasma gondii infection. Whether prevention of infection with these parasites is effective in reducing the risk of psychosis requires further investigation.

Tagged: bipolar, brain, Dopamine, infection, latent toxoplasmosis, psychotic, risk, Schizophrenia, Toxoplasma gondii, traffic accidents

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

  • มันตา แพงศรี on Diagnostic problems in psychiatry with regard to acquired toxoplasmosis
  • boca777 on Diagnostic problems in psychiatry with regard to acquired toxoplasmosis
  • slots online on Diagnostic problems in psychiatry with regard to acquired toxoplasmosis
  • escorts in delhi on Diagnostic problems in psychiatry with regard to acquired toxoplasmosis
  • firearmsstore on Diagnostic problems in psychiatry with regard to acquired toxoplasmosis

Meta

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

Copyright © 2022 Toxoplasma gondii & Human Phenotype.

ToxoBehavior WordPress Theme by Jelena Braum