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Toxoplasma gondii & Human Phenotype

Compendium of Known Effects and Ongoing Research

virus

The association of infectious agents and schizophrenia

October 19, 2010
Krause, D., Matz, J., Weidinger, E., Wagner, J., Wildenauer, A., Obermeier, M., Riedel, M., Muller, N.
World Journal of Biological Psychiatry 2010; 11: 739-743
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Objectives. The influence of infectious agents on the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders has been discussed for decades. Pre- and postnatal infections are risk factors for schizophrenia. This may be explained by chronic infections or an altered immune status. However most of the studies have only focused on one single pathogen and not on the impact of different infectious agents. We investigated the association between schizophrenia and various neurotophic infectious agents. Methods. A total of 31 schizophrenic patients and 30 healthy matched individuals were included. Antibody titres of cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus, Epstein-Barr virus, mycoplasma, chlamydia and toxoplasma were evaluated. For statistical analysis we used Fisher's exact and Wilcoxon test. Results. Significantly elevated positive antibody titres within schizophrenic patients were found only for Chlamydia trachomatis (P=0.005) and a trend to significance for herpes simplex virus (P=0.055). Combining the different agents, schizophrenics had a significantly higher rate of positive titres to infectious agents as compared to controls (P=0.04). Conclusions. The higher prevalence of antibodies within schizophrenic patients emphasizes a possible role of infectious agents in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. Our data indicates that not one specific agent might be responsible for schizophrenic symptoms but the resulting immune response in the central nervous system.

Tagged: antibodies, childhood, chlamydia, etiology, herpes-simplex, immune system, individuals, infection, influenza, maternal exposure, psychosis, risk, Schizophrenia, virus

Mental health

Prenatal infection as a risk factor for schizophrenia

October 30, 2006
Brown AS.
Schizophrenia Bulletin 2006; 32: 200-202
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Accumulating evidence suggests that prenatal exposure to infection contributes to the etiology of schizophrenia. This line of investigation has been advanced by birth cohort studies that utilize prospectively acquired data from serologic assays for infectious and immune biomarkers. These investigations have provided further support for this hypothesis and permitted the investigation of new infectious pathogens in relation to schizophrenia risk. Prenatal infections that have been associated with schizophrenia include rubella, influenza, and toxoplasmosis. Maternal cytokines, including interleukin-8, are also significantly increased in pregnancies giving rise to schizophrenia cases. Although replication of these findings is required, this body of work may ultimately have important implications for the prevention of schizophrenia, the elaboration of pathogenic mechanisms in this disorder, and investigations of gene-environment interactions.

Tagged: adult schizophrenia, Epidemiology, exposure, infection, influenza, prenatal, psychosis, Schizophrenia, virus

Mental health

Parkinsonian symptoms as an initial manifestation in a Japanese patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and Toxoplasma infection

November 7, 2000
Murakami, T., Nakajima, M., Nakamura, T., Hara, A., Uyama, E., Mita, S., Matsushita, S., Uchino, M.
Internal Medicine 2000; 39: 1111-1114
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We studied a Japanese patient who developed parkinsonian symptoms over 3 months before the diagnosis of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Brain MRI showed multiple lesions with mass effect and ring enhancement in the basal ganglia and subcortical white matter suggesting Toxoplasma infection. Anti-Toxoplasma therapy and highly active antiretroviral therapy for 6 months allowed improvement of parkinsonism, brain MRI findings, and immune system.

Tagged: aids, Cerebral toxoplasmosis, highly active antiretroviral therapy, hiv-infection, movement-disorders, toxoplasmosis, virus

Mental health

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  • Cognitive functions 64
  • Mental health 439
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  • Uncategorized 2

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