Toxoplasma gondii infection in patients with schizophrenia

Background and Objectives: Schizophrenia is a complex chronic neuropsychiatric disease of the central nervous system, believed to have multiple etiologies. Toxoplasma gondii has emerged as an interesting candidate as a possible cause of some cases of schizophrenia. As there is scarce information about the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in psychiatric patients in Erbil; we investigated the seroprevalence of T. gondii in schizophrenic patients and compared with that obtained from control individuals in Erbil correlated with inflammatory marker C-reactive protein

Method: This case control study included 93 schizophrenic patients seeking medical advice at Hawler Psychiatric Hospital and private clinics with 93 non psychiatric control were screened for the presence of anti-toxoplasma IgG, IgM [by ELISA test] and C-reactive protein using qualitative methods. A questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic and behavioral data among the respondents

Results: In chronic cases anti-Toxoplasma gondii IgG antibodies were seropositive in 30/93 [32.3%] of the schizophrenic patients and 4/93[4.3%] of control [P <0.001]. The seropositive rate of IgM antibodies was 9.7% and 1.1% among schizophrenic patients and control, respectively [P = 0.006]. The result of C-reactive protein positivity among patients and control was 23.6% and 3.22%, respectively [P <0.001]

Conclusion: Our results delineate that association might exist between Toxoplasma gondii infection and schizophrenia etiology

Effects of Olanazapine and haloperidol on serum malondialdehyde, prolactin level, blood glucose and lipid profilein schizophrenic patients

The association of the atypical antipsychotics with hyperglycemia, elevated lipids, and weight gain was recognized soon after the introduction of clozapine and has become of increased concern as the use and uses of atypical antipsychotics have been expanded. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of diabetes, dyslipidamia, lipid peroxidation and hyperprolactinemia in Olanzepine treated patients in comparison with patients treated with haloperidol. Fifty patients were selected randomly from psychiatric inpatient clinic in Erbil city in Iraqi Kurdistan Region between November 2007 and June 2008. All patients were diagnosed as schizophrenia, and none of them were in acute severe state. Thirty Schizophrenic patients received Haloperidol orally as typical antipsychotic and 20 patients received Olanazapine orally as atypical antipsychotic for a minimum of one month. Fasting blood samples for the assessment of serum malondialdehyde [MDA], lipid profile, fasting blood glucose [FBG] and prolactin levels were obtained after one month of the drug prescribing time. From those fifty patients, 16 patients were selected to follow them prospectively over a mean period of time of 112 days for olanzapine and 75 days for haloperidol. The prospective study includes FBG, lipid profile, BMI and serum MDA. The prevalence of hyperprolactinaemia and lipid peroxidation was higher in Haloperidol treated patients. Whereas, the prevalence of diabetes and dyslipidaemia were higher in Olanazapine treated patients, the mean level of BMI of the Olanazapine group was significantly higher than BMI of the Haloperidol group. There was 6.66% prevalence of D< in Olanazapine treated patients, but there was no prevalence of DM in Haloperidol treated patients. There was no incidence of diabetes mellitus in the prospective study for both Haloperidol and Olanazapine treated patients. No absolute evidence indicates that the atypical antipsychotic Olanazapine is the cause of diabetes, since the glucose levels of all patients were within normal range and there was no incidence of diabetes in the prospective study in spite of their higher weight and body mass index