What do cats, toxoplasmosis and schizophrenia have in common?
Last reviewed: 07.06.2024
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Having a cat in the house can be a contributing factor in the development of schizophrenic spectrum disorders. Immediate owners of cats and even those who simply had contact with animals in childhood and adolescence, have an increased risk of developing schizophrenia by almost 50%. This information was announced by experts representing the Australian Center for Mental Health.
The experts collected all available information present in various clinical databases and medical literature for more than 40 years. They identified about two thousand studies, conducted a meta-analysis of the data obtained, covering 11 countries. They looked at factors such as the presence of cats in the home, incidences of brief contact and cat bites.
Researchers were able to find that the presence of a cat or cats in the home led to a twofold increase in the risk of schizophrenic disorders (the correlation index was 2.24). This increase is most likely due to the common presence of the intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii in animals. Preliminary scientific work has proven that patients with schizophrenic spectrum disorders have almost three times the antibody titer to toxoplasmosis than healthy individuals.
Human disease with toxoplasmosis leads to various neurological changes, behavioral problems. The fact of successful use of antiprotozoal medications to eliminate certain symptomatic signs of schizophrenia has long been known, which gives grounds for reflection.
Schizophrenia is a common and complex mental illness that alters both thinking and behavior. Characteristic symptoms are moral impotence and loss of initiative, speech disorders, hallucinatory delusional states. Memory and concentration of attention are also affected. Pathology proceeds with periods of exacerbations and remissions, during which the patient can harm himself or loved ones. The most common factors in the development of the disease include hereditary predisposition, unfavorable living conditions. There is no consensus on the pathogenesis of the formation of schizophrenic disorder. The involvement of neurotransmitter metabolism is traced - in particular, dopamine. Precursors of the disease are considered to be loss of interest in activities (including social), one's own appearance and hygiene, as well as increasing cognitive changes, motor impairment. The prodromal period is long, often exceeding 5 years.
The Australian scientists do not rule out that the chain they have constructed may have other links, so further research with precise definitions of the specific period and magnitude of exposure is needed to assess the risk of subsequent formation of schizophrenic disorders.
Details are available at Oxford University Press.