Date of Publication

2023

Document Type

Bachelor's Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science in Biology major in Medical Biology

Subject Categories

Biology

College

College of Science

Department/Unit

Biology

Thesis Advisor

Bridget C. Arellano

Defense Panel Chair

Mary Jane C. Flores

Defense Panel Member

Jessica Joyce R. De Guia
Frumencio F. Co

Abstract/Summary

The obligate intracellular protozoa T. gondii has been linked to the severe neurological disorder schizophrenia. This meta-analysis aimed to determine the association of T. gondii in schizophrenic patients and to explore sex as a potential confounding factor. Utilizing data from 36 eligible studies obtained from reputable databases, including PubMed, ScienceDirect, Research Gate, NCBI, and CENTRAL, 28 articles reported a significant association (p1) of schizophrenia among T. gondii-infected individuals. This suggests that T. gondii is a risk factor for schizophrenia. Subsequently, the study fails to reject the null hypothesis regarding sex as a confounding factor: (1) no significant association was observed between sex and T. gondii, and (2) only two studies obtained statistically significant results (pT. gondii infection and schizophrenia is not influenced by sex-related factors. Various mechanisms linking T. gondii infection to schizophrenia have already been explored, including its impact on glial cells, neurotransmitters, dopamine synthesis, and NMDAR autoantibodies. However, provided that there is still insufficient information on the confounders for T. gondii and schizophrenia, future studies could incorporate the role of culture, age, area of residence, eating habits, and pet ownership in their investigation.

Abstract Format

html

Language

English

Format

Electronic

Physical Description

99 leaves

Keywords

Toxoplasma gondii; Schizophrenia; Toxoplasmosis; Mental health

Upload Full Text

wf_yes

Embargo Period

8-11-2023

Download

Share

COinS