Cat ownership in childhood is a significant risk factor for later developing schizophrenia” study

I knew it! Cats can cause schizophrenia…now we just need an in-depth study on how Bill Cosby plays a role in this affliction! :wink:

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I’m beginning to get delusions of reference from the last few studies @szadmin has posted.

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Well, darn. You mean I can’t blame my mom and her bad parenting for all my problems anymore?

:cry:

Pixel.

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I would say the demographics of this forum back up that study :joy:

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Related Reading:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.sci-hub.io/pubmed/26314730

We agree that it is surprising to be able to show any relationship
between cat ownership in childhood and the subsequent development
of schizophrenia or other serious mental illness. As we have shown elsewhere,
children can be exposed to the oocysts of Toxoplasma gondii by
playing in any public sandbox, schoolyard, or children’s play area which
has been contaminated by cat feces (Torrey and Yolken, 2013). Similarly,
a family may not own a cat but a neighborhood cat may contaminate a
sandbox or play area in which a child plays. The level of contamination
may reach more than one million oocysts per square foot of sandbox
surface resulting in a high level of exposure and risk of infection

and

The urban risk and migration risk factors for schizophrenia: are cats the answer?

Full paper:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.sci-hub.io/pubmed/25308833

Research done in my own home has firmly established a causal link between owning a cat and awesomeness.

So there.

Pixel.

p.s. Betting the incidence of small, yappy dog ownership is high amongst those with borderline personality. :wink:

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Given that a lot of families have cats the vast majority of which the children don’t develop schizophrenia or psychosis I find it hard to take this research seriously. Unless they are arguing for an increased risk in those with a susceptibility/familial loading for schizophrenia/psychosis.

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I like lizards and turtles.

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Reaching? Ok, well, I have the full cocktail it seems…I was born two months premature with many complications, I was abused/neglected, I have a family history of MI, and particularly sz, auto-immune disorders, such as Lupus, run in my family as well, and my mom had a thing for cats so I grew up with multiple cats…anything else? :wink:

I read a book on parasites that included toxoplasma gondii, very interesting.
It makes people do risky stuff, too, right?
Here’s a link to an npr article/podcast on toxo.
npr article called invasion of the mind-controlling zombie parasites

I did not make up that title, that’s what it really is

Very interesting topic, Sz Admin…

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Well, crap, thanks Fluffy, you screwed us both XD…jk

But wait, can someone get tested for this parasite???

I read there was a gene for the immune system that controls schizophrenia. Maybe schizophrenics lack the immune system to deal with toxoplasma gondii where others don’t

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I had sz before owning a cat…

interesting. we didnt own any cats during my childhood but the strange thing is that my parents bought themselves one shortly when i was released from hospital due to my sz breakdown. i cant say that my mental illness is getting worse from this animal. i did have a weird delusion once, that the cat is possessed though.

lol, yet poor cat.
must be cg

Sounds like a “correlation =/= causation” demonstration.

I mean considering that the vast majority of people who grow up with a pet cat don’t develop schizophrenia, maybe cats help prevent it, too.

I believe toxoplasmosis might be the cause of schizophrenia considering Minocycline cures psychosis and negative symptoms and the c4 gene causes schizophrenia

What’s the corallation between people who work in pet shops and schizophrenia? Do you think Jerry gave Tom schizophrenia? Did you know that when the duo of Simon & Garfunkle first started out they called themselves “Tom & Jerry”?

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