Parasite Tied to Self-Harm, Suicide Attempts

SOURCE: MedlinePlus (Reuters)

DATE:  July 6, 2012

EXCERPT: "Women who are infected with a common parasite may be more likely to hurt themselves or attempt suicide, ...  But it's reasonable, Postolache added, that the parasite could directly affect the brain, such as by making cells produce more or less of certain neurotransmitters that control mood and behavior.  "It's (also) possible that the immune system containing Toxoplasma gondii does it at the cost of affecting brain function," he told Reuters Health.  Underlying infection could trigger inflammation, Weiss explained, which might subtly alter brain chemistry. Postolache said more studies will be needed to further understand the link between toxoplasmosis and suicidal tendencies, including whether certain people with the infection are more prone to mood and behavior issues than others - because of the genetic factors, for example." more

RELATED PUBMED LINK:

Pedersen MG, Mortensen PB, Norgaard-Pedersen B, Postolache TT. Toxoplasma gondii Infection and Self-directed Violence in MothersToxoplasma Gondii and Self-directed Violence. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2012 Jul 2:1-8. doi: 10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2012.668.


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