A recent study suggests that owning a cat as a pet may double the risk of schizophrenia-related disorders.
Australian researchers 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 disorders.” explained Psychiatrist John McGrath and his fellow researchers, all from the Queensland Center for Mental Health Research, published a study last December.
This idea that cat ownership may be associated with the risk of schizophrenia was proposed in a paper. 1995 surveyWhen exposed to a parasite called toxoplasma gondii listed as a cause. However, previous studies have yielded mixed conclusions.
What we learned from the research Being around cats as a child may increase your chances of developing schizophrenia. but, Not all research I found a connection.
some too Connect contact with cats to higher scores It is a scale that measures traits associated with experiences like schizophrenia and psychosis that affect a person’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, but again depends on other research. Hide this connection.
McGrath and his team say all research on these topics needs to be thoroughly reviewed and analyzed to get a clearer picture.
T. Gondi It is a mostly harmless parasite that can be transmitted through undercooked meat or contaminated water.
It can also be transmitted by being bitten by an infected cat or from infected cat feces. T. Gondi. It is estimated that Approximately 40 million people in the United States You may be infected but usually have no symptoms. Meanwhile, researchers continue to discover even more bizarre effects that infectious diseases can have.
When it enters our body, T. Gondi It can enter the central nervous system and affect neurotransmitters. This parasite is thought to be associated with personality changes, the appearance of psychotic symptoms, and several neurological disorders, including schizophrenia.
However, the link is not proven T. Gondi It is possible that a parasite was passed from the cat to the human that causes these changes.
New analysis of 17 studies found “There is a significant positive association between broadly defined cat ownership and increased risk of schizophrenia-related disorders.”
“After adjusting for covariates, we found that people who had contact with cats were approximately twice as likely to develop schizophrenia,” the research team said. explained.
There are some important points to keep in mind here, including the fact that 15 of the 17 studies were case-control studies. These types of studies cannot prove causation and often ignore things that may have influenced both the exposure and the outcome.
Many of the studies reviewed were of low quality, which the authors emphasize.
Although results were inconsistent across studies, higher quality studies suggested that the association in the unadjusted model may be due to factors that may have influenced the results. I am.
A research result has been revealed Although there was no significant association between owning a cat before the age of 13 and developing schizophrenia later in life, narrowing down the period of cat ownership (ages 9 to 12) , a significant association was found. This discrepancy suggests that the critical time window to which cats are exposed is not clearly defined.
a study abroad in americaA study involving 354 psychology students found no association between cat ownership and schizophrenia scores. However, those who had been bitten by cats had higher scores than those who had not.
another studyA 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.
The researchers agree that better and broader studies are needed before a firm interpretation can be made.
“In conclusion, our review supports an association between cat ownership and schizophrenia-related disorders,” the authors write. I have written.
“More high-quality studies based on large, representative samples are needed to better understand cat husbandry as a potential risk modifier for mental disorders.”
This study schizophrenia bulletin.
A previous version of this article was published in December 2023.
