Cat owners are twice as likely to suffer from schizophrenia, according to a new study.
- A meta-analysis of 17 studies shows that cat owners are more likely to suffer from schizophrenia.
- This increase in risks could be linked to Toxoplasma gondii, the agent of toxoplasmosis, according to the researchers.
- Further research is needed to confirm the hypothesis.
Bad news for cat lovers. Work by researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia suggest that your favorite companion could potentially double your risk of schizophrenia, especially if you picked up the furball before you turned 25.
The study was presented in the journal Schizophrenia BulletinDecember 2, 2023.
Schizophrenia: a link between cat ownership and mental disorder
Australian scientists reached this conclusion after conducting a meta-analysis of 17 studies on the health of cat owners published over the past 44 years in 11 different countries.
Analysis of the compiled data shows that people who were exposed to cats before the age of 25 have approximately twice the risk of developing schizophrenia. For the team, this association is probably due to a parasite called Toxoplasma gondiithe agent of toxoplasmosis. The latter often infects cats and can be transmitted to humans through a bite.
Also known as T. gondiithe parasite would have the ability to enter the central nervous system and affect neurotransmitters in the brain. This could promote the appearance of personality changes, psychotic symptoms and psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia: the toxoplasmosis parasite involved?
One of the studies re-analyzed by Australian scientists supports their hypothesis concerning the role of Toxoplasma gondii in the development of schizophrenia. If this American study, based on 354 students, had not found a correlation between the ownership of cats and the scores of the scale of schizotypy (test assessing personality disorder schizotypal)it showed that people bitten by a cat had higher scores than the non-bitten group.
However, scientists say more work is needed to confirm the link between cat ownership and the development of schizophrenia, as other contributing factors such as social and economic background as well as heredity also play a role. role in the development of mental illness.
