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Toxoplasma gondii & Human Phenotype

Compendium of Known Effects and Ongoing Research

sensitivity

The association between immune markers and recent suicide attempts in patients with serious mental illness: A pilot study

March 23, 2017
Dickerson, F., Adamos, M., Katsafanas, E., Khushalani, S., Origoni, A., Savage, C., Schweinfurth, L., Stallings, C., Sweeney, K., Alaedini, A., Uhde, M., Severance, E., Wilcox, H. C., Yolken, R.
Psychiatry Research 2017;255:8-12
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Previous studies have identified elevations in markers of gastrointestinal inflammation in schizophrenia and mood disorders but studies have not measured the association between these markers and recent suicide attempts. We assessed 210 patients receiving treatment for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression. We employed the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale to identify recent and lifetime suicide attempts (actual, aborted, and interrupted). Psychiatric participants and a control group of 72 individuals without a psychiatric disorder had a blood sample drawn from which were measured specific markers of gastrointestinal inflammation and also C-Reactive protein (CRP). A total of 20 (10%) of psychiatric participants had a suicide attempt in the previous one month and 95 (45%) an attempt during their lifetime but not in the previous one month. The recent attempters had significantly elevated levels of antibodies to yeast mannan from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (ASCA), the food antigen gliadin, and bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) compared with the non-psychiatric group when adjusting for demographic and clinical variables. These markers were not elevated in individuals with a past, but not recent, suicide attempt history. Our study indicates that there is evidence of gastrointestinal inflammation in some individuals who have had a recent suicide attempt.

Tagged: activation, attempted, biomarkers, bipolar disorder, celiac-disease, gastrointestinal, inflammation, inflammatory-bowel-disease, metaanalysis, psychiatric-disorders, rating-scale, Schizophrenia, sensitivity, suicide, Toxoplasma gondii

Mental health

Antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in individuals with mania

October 10, 2014
Dickerson, F., Stallings, C., Origoni, A., Vaughan, C., Katsafanas, E., Khushalani, S., Yolken, R.
Bipolar Disorders 2014; 16: 129-136
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Objectives Increased rates of infection with Toxoplasma gondii have been found in individuals with schizophrenia as compared to control groups but this issue has not been studied in mania. Methods We measured immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM class antibodies to T.gondii in 57 individuals with mania who were assessed at up to three time-points. We also measured these antibodies in 743 individuals in other psychiatric groups and in 314 non-psychiatric controls. T.gondii antibody levels were compared among groups by multivariate analyses. IgG class and IgM class antibodies to cytomegalovirus were also measured in the same samples. T.gondii antibody levels were also compared over time in the mania group. Results The mania group had a significantly elevated level of IgM antibodies to T.gondii as compared to the control individuals without a psychiatric diagnosis [odds ratio (OR)=2.33, pOR=2.32, pT.gondii were not found in individuals with the other psychiatric diagnoses. We also did not find an increased level of IgG class antibodies to T.gondii or IgG or IgM class antibodies to CMV in the individuals with mania. Within the mania group, there was a significant difference between the prevalences of increased levels of T.gondii IgM at the baseline and the follow-up time-point (t=2.97, p<0.003). Conclusions Infection with T.gondii may confer risk for mania.

Tagged: bipolar disorder, c-reactive protein, infection, infection risk, mania, mood disorders, parasite toxoplasma gondii, rating-scale, Schizophrenia, sensitivity, suicide attempts, validity

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

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