Toxoplasmosis in a Cohort of Italian Patients With Bipolar and Psychotic Disorders: How Infection May Affect Clinical Features?. Issue 2 (February 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Del Grande, Claudia; Schiavi, Elisa; Masci, Isabella; Barbuti, Margherita; Maccariello, Giuseppe; Massimetti, Gabriele; Bruschi, Fabrizio; Dell'Osso, Liliana
• Is Part Of: Journal of nervous and mental disease. Volume 208:Issue 2(2020:Feb.)
• Publication Date: 2020-02
• Subjects: Toxoplasma gondii -- seroprevalence -- bipolar disorder -- psychosis -- neuroinflammation; Neurology -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Neurology; Psychiatry; Neurologie; Psychiatrie; Neurology; Psychiatry; Periodicals; 616.8005
• DOI: 10.1097/NMD.0000000000001102
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-3018

Abstract

Abstract : Abstract: This study investigated the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in a cohort of 101 Italian inpatients affected by mood or schizophrenia-spectrum disorders and compared clinical features between seronegative and seropositive subjects. Patients diagnosed according to DSM-5 criteria underwent clinical assessments and blood collection to test parasite-specific IgG/IgM serum levels. Twenty-eight patients (27.7%) had IgG anti– T. gondii, and none had IgM antibodies. We found higher prevalence rate in patients aged 40 years or older, as compared with younger. No significant association was detected between T. gondii and a specific diagnostic category; however, bipolar disorder (BD)-II showed the highest positivity rate (40.9%). The seropositive status was significantly associated with a lower presence of psychotic symptoms, higher number of total episodes of predominant excitatory polarity, longer illness duration, and lower severity of current episode, particularly anxiety, depressive, and withdrawal/retardation symptoms. These preliminary results seem to point out an association between chronic toxoplasmosis and a specific subtype of BD.