Researchers from Denmark have observed how an infection spread by cats, among other things, causes suicidal feelings in people.
The infection is called toxoplasmosis. It is caused by a parasite, which, among other places, also lives in the gastrointestinal tract of cats. Thus, contact with feces when emptying a cat's toilet is one of the ways to infect a person. Another way is to eat poorly prepared (raw) meat.
It was already known that antibodies to toxoplasma (evidence of parasite exposure) are elevated in patients with schizophrenia.
Researchers from Denmark have now revealed an increased level of suicide attempts in patients with infection. A study that examined data from 45,000 pregnant women in five districts in Denmark found that 27% of them had anti-Toxoplasma antibodies.
Among these 27% (compared with the other 73% of women), self-destructive violence was spread approximately 50% more often. And the higher the level of antibodies to toxoplasma, the greater the risk.
The actual rate of completed suicides was twice as high in women who were exposed to toxoplasma. One of the reasons why Toxoplasma can cause serious psychiatric symptoms, including suicidal thoughts, is because it causes inflammatory processes in the central nervous system, an increase in the level of inflammatory compounds, such as interleukin-6, which can be neurotoxic.
Scientists recommend that anyone who has ever had cats consult a doctor specializing in infectious diseases and, if necessary, undergo the recommended treatment to fight off self-destructive impulses.
