Bipolar Disorder With Psychotic Features and Ocular Toxoplasmosis: A Possible Pathogenetic Role of the Parasite?. Issue 3 (March 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Del Grande, Claudia; Contini, Carlo; Schiavi, Elisa; Rutigliano, Grazia; Maritati, Martina; Seraceni, Silva; Pinto, Barbara; Dell'Osso, Liliana; Bruschi, Fabrizio
• Is Part Of: Journal of nervous and mental disease. Volume 205:Issue 3(2017:Mar.)
• Publication Date: 2017-03
• Subjects: Toxoplasma gondii infection -- ocular toxoplasmosis -- psychosis -- bipolar disorder -- nested PCR; Neurology -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Neurology; Psychiatry; Neurologie; Psychiatrie; Neurology; Psychiatry; Periodicals; 616.8005
• DOI: 10.1097/NMD.0000000000000496
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-3018

Abstract

Abstract : Abstract: Recent evidence suggests the involvement of Toxoplasma gondii infection in the emergence of psychotic and affective disorders. In this report, we describe the case of a young Brazilian woman affected by recurrent ocular toxoplasmosis and presenting with a manic episode with psychotic features in the context of a diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder (BD), type I. We observed a relationship between ocular manifestations and the clinical course of bipolar illness, confirmed by molecular analyses (nested-PCR), as well as by the high level of T. gondii specific IgG. This case report is the first showing the presence of circulating parasite DNA at the time of occurrence of psychiatric symptoms, thus providing further support for a possible role of the parasite in the pathogenesis of some cases of BD.