Psychopathology in first-episode schizophrenia and antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii

Psychopathology. 2005 Mar-Apr;38(2):87-90. doi: 10.1159/000085349. Epub 2005 Apr 22.

Abstract

Objective: Environmental factors such as infectious agents may contribute to the psychopathology and aetiology of schizophrenia. Toxoplasma gondii (TG) is a candidate infectious agent as it is known to replicate within the human central nervous system and to alter behaviour in experimental animals.

Method: The relationship between antibodies to TG and psychopathological symptoms was examined in 34 first-episode patients with schizophrenia.

Results: Results of regression analyses revealed that symptoms on admission, predictors of outcome, age and family history of psychiatric disease influenced the levels of antibodies to TG.

Conclusions: These results indicate that TG infections may play a role in the clinical manifestation of psychopathology in a subgroup of patients with schizophrenia.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Blotting, Western
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Immunoglobulin A / immunology
  • Immunoglobulin G / immunology*
  • Immunoglobulin M / immunology*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Schizophrenia / blood
  • Schizophrenia / immunology*
  • Schizophrenia / parasitology*
  • Time Factors
  • Toxoplasma / immunology*
  • Toxoplasmosis / immunology
  • Toxoplasmosis / microbiology*

Substances

  • Immunoglobulin A
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Immunoglobulin M