Gaby
After reading this news, cat owners are unlikely to give up the company of their furry friends.
However, a new study by Australian researchers has revealed a potential link between schizophrenia and a parasite carried by cats. Yet, other scientists believe this topic requires further investigation.
How the Researchers Came to This Conclusion
A team from the University of Queensland analyzed the results of 17 studies conducted over the past 44 years across 11 countries.
As a result of their meta-analysis, the researchers found that individuals who had contact with cats were twice as likely to develop schizophrenia compared to those who did not. In an article for the journal Schizophrenia Bulletin, the scientists suggested that this connection is likely related to the parasite Toxoplasma gondii (also known as T. gondii), which is found in domestic cats. It most commonly enters the human body through bites.
The team explained that the parasite can infiltrate the central nervous system and affect neurotransmitters in the brain. This, in turn, can lead to personality disorders, psychotic symptoms, and mental illnesses such as schizophrenia.
Symptoms of Schizophrenia Typically Emerge Between Ages 16 and 30
According to statistics, about one percent of the global population suffers from schizophrenia.
This chronic mental disorder affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. Those with schizophrenia essentially lose touch with reality. It is believed that genetics, brain chemistry anomalies, viral infections, and immune disorders primarily contribute to the onset of this severe mental illness.
Typically, symptoms of schizophrenia begin to manifest between the ages of 16 and 30. In rare cases, children can also be affected.
As explained by the Daily Mail, the symptoms of schizophrenia are divided into three categories: positive, negative, and cognitive.
Positive symptoms are disturbances that “add” to a person’s personality and include hallucinations, delusions, and thought disorders (unusual or dysfunctional ways of thinking).
Negative symptoms refer to abilities that a person has lost. These include “flat affect” (reduced emotional expression through facial expressions or tone of voice), diminished pleasure in everyday life, and difficulties in initiating and sustaining activities.
Cognitive symptoms involve changes in mental functions, particularly in memory, attention span, and the ability to understand and use information for decision-making.
Criticism of the Study
Other scientists argue that this topic needs further development. They claim that the studies analyzed were mostly of low quality and yielded contradictory conclusions.
Additionally, researchers who did not participate in this study stated that it did not adequately consider other factors contributing to the development of schizophrenia, such as genetics, socio-economic background, and more.
