SynthesisPloS one2023
Relationship between Toxoplasma gondii infection and psychiatric disorders in Iran: A systematic review with meta-analysis.
Synthesis in PloS one, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed.
- Seroprevalence and molecular detection of Toxoplasma gondii in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder: a case-control study in northern Iran.BMC infectious diseases · 2026Article
- Investigating the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in Parkinson's disease patients and its association with disease severity: a case-control study.BMC infectious diseases · 2026Article
- Toxoplasma gondii and the Brain: Frenemies? Or Just Outright Foes?Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society · 2025Review
- The role of the microbiota-gut-brain axis in schizophrenia: an immunological perspective.Frontiers in immunology · 2025Review
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5 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundToxoplasma gondii, a ubiquitous parasitic protozoan, may be an important cause of neurological and psychiatric diseases. The present systematic review and meta-analysis, therefore, was conducted to investigate the scientific evidence regarding the potential association between T. gondii infection and psychiatric disorders in Iran.
methodsWe systematically reviewed articles from world-wide databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Iranian national databases up to July 30th, 2021. The Newcastle Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to assess the quality of included studies. The common odds ratio (OR) was estimated using inverse variance and a random-effects model. Heterogeneity was assessed using the χ2-based Cochrane test (Q) and the I2 index. Also, sensitivity analyses and publication bias were calculated. Moreover, subgroup analysis was performed based on the type of disorder and quality score of different eligible studies.
results16 studies were included in this meta-analysis. Our meta-analyses found that the OR of the risk of anti- T. gondii IgG and IgM in psychiatric patients compared to the control group was 1.56 (95% CI; 1.23-1.99) and 1.76 (95% CI: 1.19-2.61), respectively. Subgroup analysis based on the type of disorder showed that the OR of the risk of anti- T. gondii IgG in Iranian schizophrenia patients and other psychiatric disorders compared to the control group were 1.50 (95% CI; 1.09-2.07) and 2.03 (95% CI: 1.14-3.60), respectively, which are statistically significant. Also, the OR of the risk of anti- T. gondii IgM in Iranian schizophrenia and depression patients compared to the control group was 1.54 (95% CI; 0.9-2.64) and 1.03 (95% CI: 0.2-5.24), respectively, which are not statistically significant. Additionally, subgroup analysis based on quality scores showed no significant influence on the results according to the moderate quality studies. However, this association was significant according to the high quality studies. The obtained results of Egger's test were 1.5 (95% CI; -0.62-3.73, P = 0.15) and 0.47 (95% CI; -0.82-1.76, P = 0.45), respectively, indicating publication bias. The significant results of the heterogeneity analysis confirmed a high level of heterogeneity in the IgG test (P = 0.000, I2 = 66.6%). However, no significant results from the test of heterogeneity were detected in the IgM test (P = 0.15, I2 = 27.5%). The results of the sensitivity analysis showed that the impact of each study on the meta-analysis was not significant on overall estimates.
conclusionsDespite the limited number of studies, these outcomes supported a possible link between T. gondii infection and psychiatric disorders in Iran. However, more high-quality investigations are needed in the future.
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