Early infections of Toxoplasma gondii and the later development of schizophrenia

Preben Bo Mortensen; Bent Nørgaard-Pedersen; Berit L. Waltoft; Tina L. Sørensen; David Hougaard; Robert H. Yolken

doi:10.1093/schbul/sbm009

Early infections of Toxoplasma gondii and the later development of schizophrenia

Preben Bo Mortensen, Bent Nørgaard-Pedersen, Berit L. Waltoft, Tina L. Sørensen, David Hougaard, Robert H. Yolken

School of Medicine

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

126 Scopus citations

Abstract

Early exposure to several infectious agents has been associated with the later development of schizophrenia. Two recent studies assessed in utero or early postnatal exposure to Toxoplasma gondii. In one study of 63 individuals, who developed schizophrenia spectrum disorders, maternal sera obtained during pregnancy showed an increased risk (OR 2.61) of having IgG antibodies to T. gondii. In the other study of 71 individuals who developed schizophrenia, sera obtained shortly after birth also showed an increased risk (OR 1.79) of having IgG antibodies to T. gondii. Causal linking mechanisms are at present speculative but include possible direct effects of maternal IgG on the developing central nervous system (CNS) of the offspring. Additional studies are underway.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	741-744
Number of pages	4
Journal	Schizophrenia bulletin
Volume	33
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/schbul/sbm009
State	Published - Sep 2007

Keywords

Biobank
Birth cohort
Nested case-control study

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Psychiatry and Mental health

Access to Document

10.1093/schbul/sbm009

Cite this

@article{d6151084aeb44b7e9a61f0c84330309a,

title = "Early infections of Toxoplasma gondii and the later development of schizophrenia",

abstract = "Early exposure to several infectious agents has been associated with the later development of schizophrenia. Two recent studies assessed in utero or early postnatal exposure to Toxoplasma gondii. In one study of 63 individuals, who developed schizophrenia spectrum disorders, maternal sera obtained during pregnancy showed an increased risk (OR 2.61) of having IgG antibodies to T. gondii. In the other study of 71 individuals who developed schizophrenia, sera obtained shortly after birth also showed an increased risk (OR 1.79) of having IgG antibodies to T. gondii. Causal linking mechanisms are at present speculative but include possible direct effects of maternal IgG on the developing central nervous system (CNS) of the offspring. Additional studies are underway.",

keywords = "Biobank, Birth cohort, Nested case-control study",

author = "Mortensen, {Preben Bo} and Bent N{\o}rgaard-Pedersen and Waltoft, {Berit L.} and S{\o}rensen, {Tina L.} and David Hougaard and Yolken, {Robert H.}",

year = "2007",

month = sep,

doi = "10.1093/schbul/sbm009",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "33",

pages = "741--744",

journal = "Schizophrenia Bulletin",

issn = "0586-7614",

publisher = "Oxford University Press",

number = "3",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Early infections of Toxoplasma gondii and the later development of schizophrenia

AU - Mortensen, Preben Bo

AU - Nørgaard-Pedersen, Bent

AU - Waltoft, Berit L.

AU - Sørensen, Tina L.

AU - Hougaard, David

AU - Yolken, Robert H.

PY - 2007/9

Y1 - 2007/9

N2 - Early exposure to several infectious agents has been associated with the later development of schizophrenia. Two recent studies assessed in utero or early postnatal exposure to Toxoplasma gondii. In one study of 63 individuals, who developed schizophrenia spectrum disorders, maternal sera obtained during pregnancy showed an increased risk (OR 2.61) of having IgG antibodies to T. gondii. In the other study of 71 individuals who developed schizophrenia, sera obtained shortly after birth also showed an increased risk (OR 1.79) of having IgG antibodies to T. gondii. Causal linking mechanisms are at present speculative but include possible direct effects of maternal IgG on the developing central nervous system (CNS) of the offspring. Additional studies are underway.

AB - Early exposure to several infectious agents has been associated with the later development of schizophrenia. Two recent studies assessed in utero or early postnatal exposure to Toxoplasma gondii. In one study of 63 individuals, who developed schizophrenia spectrum disorders, maternal sera obtained during pregnancy showed an increased risk (OR 2.61) of having IgG antibodies to T. gondii. In the other study of 71 individuals who developed schizophrenia, sera obtained shortly after birth also showed an increased risk (OR 1.79) of having IgG antibodies to T. gondii. Causal linking mechanisms are at present speculative but include possible direct effects of maternal IgG on the developing central nervous system (CNS) of the offspring. Additional studies are underway.

KW - Biobank

KW - Birth cohort

KW - Nested case-control study

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=34548024413&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=34548024413&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1093/schbul/sbm009

DO - 10.1093/schbul/sbm009

M3 - Article

C2 - 17329231

AN - SCOPUS:34548024413

SN - 0586-7614

VL - 33

SP - 741

EP - 744

JO - Schizophrenia Bulletin

JF - Schizophrenia Bulletin

IS - 3

ER -

Early infections of Toxoplasma gondii and the later development of schizophrenia

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this