Scientists analyzed studies conducted in 11 countries, including the UK and the US, and concluded a potential link between exposure to cats and schizophrenia-related disorders.
Schizophrenia is broadly defined as a mental illness that runs in families. The disease primarily occurs in her late teens or early adulthood. Symptoms include hearing voices and difficulty thinking clearly.
“Our findings support an association between exposure to cats and an increased risk of broadly defined schizophrenia-related disorders,” the authors wrote in an analysis published in the journal Schizophrenia. It is stated in
“We found that people who had contact with cats were approximately twice as likely to develop schizophrenia,” the researchers from the Queensland Mental Health Research Center wrote.
According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 300 people worldwide suffers from schizophrenia. The disease is managed with drugs, but a complete cure is not yet known.
However, the proposed study is not the first to link schizophrenia and cats. A 1995 report highlighted that exposure to a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii can cause symptoms of schizophrenia.
Parasites are thought to enter the human body through cat bites or through contact with cat body fluids or feces. Contaminated water and undercooked meat are also two ways parasites can enter a person’s body.
It is estimated that approximately 40 million people in the United States may be infected with T. gondii, but they usually do not have symptoms. However, the parasite can invade the central nervous system and affect neurotransmitters, news outlets reported.
“Our review supports the following associations: How to keep a cat and schizophrenia-related disorders,” the authors write.
“More high-quality studies based on large, representative samples are needed to better understand cat husbandry as a candidate risk modifier for mental disorders,” the researchers added. .