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The schizophrenia and Toxoplasma gondii connection: Infectious, immune or both?

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Abstract

Introduction

Recent research has suggested a possible link between toxoplasmic agents and schizophrenia. We aimed to assess this by measuring Toxoplasma gondii-associated antibodies in schizophrenia patients and controls

Methods

We used a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit to measure the level of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM antibodies in serum samples from schizophrenia patients (n=40) and from a group of non-schizophrenic control subjects (n=37)

Results

Among schizophrenic patients, 16 (40%) showed IgG seropositivity and two (5%) showed IgM seropositivity. Among the control group, five (13.5%) were found have IgG seropositivity and one (2.7%) showed IgM seropositivity. In our study we found that IgG T gondii antibodies were significantly higher in schizophrenia patients compared with controls

Conclusions

This study supports the theory that toxoplasmic agents may have a role in the aetiology of schizophrenia

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Microbiology, Kocaeli University, Medical Faculty, Kocaeli, Turkey

    Gulden Sonmez Tamer, Devrim Dundar & Seyda Caliskan

  2. Department of Psychiatry, Kocaeli University, Medical Faculty, Kocaeli, Turkey

    Irem Yalug & Ahmet Aker

  3. Department of Parasitology, Erciyes University, Medical Faculty, Kayseri, Turkey

    Suleyman Yazar

  4. Klinik Mikrobiyoloji Anabilim Dali, Kocaeli Universitesi Tip Fakültesi Umuttepe Kampüsü , 41380, Kocaeli, Türkiye

    Gulden Sonmez Tamer

Authors
  1. Gulden Sonmez Tamer
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  2. Devrim Dundar
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  3. Irem Yalug
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  4. Seyda Caliskan
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  5. Suleyman Yazar
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  6. Ahmet Aker
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Correspondence to Gulden Sonmez Tamer.

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Tamer, G.S., Dundar, D., Yalug, I. et al. The schizophrenia and Toxoplasma gondii connection: Infectious, immune or both?. Adv Therapy 25, 703–709 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12325-008-0063-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12325-008-0063-5

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