S Bachmann1, J Schröder, C Bottmer, E F Torrey, R H Yolken. 1. Section of Geriatric Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, University of Heidelberg, DE-69115 Heidelberg, Germany. silke_bachmann@med.uni-heidelberg.de
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.
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.