A new study has revealed a shocking link between owning a cat as a pet and the development of schizophrenia-related disorders. According to this study, keeping a cat as a pet can double the risk of serious mental disorders.
The Australian disability team conducted an analysis of 17 studies published over the past 44 years from 11 countries, including the US and UK.
“We found a link between cat ownership in a broad sense and increased odds of developing schizophrenia-related illnesses,” said John McGrath, a psychiatrist at the Queensland Mental Health Research Center. colleagues explained in a study published last December.
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The idea that cat ownership may be associated with the risk of schizophrenia was proposed in a 1995 study, according to a report in ScienceAlert. According to reports, the suggested cause was exposure to a parasite called . toxoplasma gondii. However, previous studies have yielded mixed conclusions.
Research shows that being around cats during childhood may increase your chances of developing schizophrenia. However, not all studies found an association. Other studies have linked exposure to cats to higher scores on scales that measure traits associated with schizophrenia that affect a person’s thoughts, feelings, and behavior, and to psychosis-like experiences. , again other studies have not shown this association.
A new analysis of 17 studies found “a significant positive association between cat ownership, broadly defined, and an increased risk of schizophrenia-related disorders.”
Researchers found that people who had contact with cats were almost twice as likely to develop schizophrenia. However, the authors also highlight that many of the studies reviewed were of low quality.
Another study of people with and without mental disorders found an association between cat bites and higher scores on tests measuring certain psychological experiences. However, they suggested other pathogens such as: Pasteurella multocida They may be held responsible instead.
ScienceAlert reports that researchers agree that better and broader studies are needed before making any firm interpretations.
“In conclusion, our review supports an association between cat ownership and schizophrenia-related disorders. To better understand cat ownership as a candidate risk modifier for psychiatric disorders, “More high-quality studies based on large, representative samples are needed,” the authors write.
The study was published in the Journal of Schizophrenia.
