This conclusion was reached by a team from the Australian University of Queensland.
Source: Freepik.com
Experts analyzed 17 studies conducted over the past 44 years in 11 countries. They found that people exposed to cats before the age of 25 were about twice as likely to develop schizophrenia as other respondents. Note that symptoms of the disease usually appear between the ages of 16 and 30 years. In rare cases, children also suffer from schizophrenia.
Scientists say the cause may be the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, found in domestic cats, which can enter the human body through a bite from a pet.
This is because, according to researchers, it is able to penetrate the central nervous system and affect neurotransmitters in the brain, leading to personality changes, psychotic symptoms and mental disorders such as schizophrenia.
Other researchers have not been shy about publicly criticizing the review on social media site X, saying it did not adequately take into account other factors that could skew the results, such as social and economic background and family history.
2024-01-03 08:00:00
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