Cuddling with a cat or kitten may seem therapeutic, but a new study suggests that contact with these animals could have harmful effects. mental health effects down the road.
Research published in the Schizophrenia Bulletin found that people who exposed to cats may have more than double the risk of developing schizophrenia and other similar mental disorders later in life.
Australian researchers from the University of Queensland conducted a systematic review of 17 studies carried out in 11 countries between January 1, 1980 and May 30, 2023.
STUDY LINKS CANNABIS ABUSE TO SCHIZOPHRENIA IN YOUNG MEN
Study data was extracted from several databases, including Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science and other publications.
All studies focused on participants who owned cats during their first 25 years of life and experienced schizophrenia-related consequences, according to the researchers.
A new study suggests that being exposed to cats early in life could have detrimental effects on long-term mental health. (iStock)
Schizophrenia is a mental illness that affects a person’s thoughts, behaviors, and feelings, as defined by the National Institute of Mental Health.
Psychotic symptoms may include hallucinations, delusions, and thought disorders.
DRUG DISCOVERED BY AI SHOWS “HUGE POTENTIAL” TO TREAT SCHIZOPHRENIA: “A REAL NEED FOR BETTER TREATMENT”
People with this disorder may also experience cognitive difficulties, loss of motivation, withdrawal from social activities, difficulty expressing emotions, and a general lack of functioning.
“Based on previous studies, there is evidence linking cat ownership and an increased risk of later schizophrenia,” said study author Dr John McGrath, a psychiatrist at the Queensland Brain Institute of the University of Queensland. Saint Lucia, Australiatold Fox News Digital.
“We had an open mind and reported back on the published results.”
Research published in Schizophrenia Bulletin found that people who own cats may be more than twice as likely to develop schizophrenia and other similar mental disorders later in life. (iStock)
Previous research linking cat exposure to schizophrenia risk has focused on Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii), a parasite that can cause a feline disease called toxoplasmosis.
Separate studies have identified a “modest to significant association” between toxoplasmosis and schizophrenia.
CATS AT COLLEGE? “HIGHLY EMOTIONAL” STUDENTS CAN BENEFIT FROM FELINES ON CAMPUS: STUDY
The study had some limitations, McGrath acknowledged.
“Although observational epidemiology cannot prove this link, this topic deserves further investigation, more detailed search,” he said.
“I was disappointed that there were not better quality, i.e. more rigorous, studies in our journal.”
“Schizophrenia is an incredibly complex disorder and this study identifies a potential risk factor that needs to be understood in a broader context.”
Schizophrenia is a “poorly understood group of disorders,” McGrath noted.
“We need to invest in more research into the potential risks…