Psychopathology of latent toxoplasmosis in infected individuals: the roles of age, gender and duration of infection

Abstract

Background. The present study examined the relationship between latent toxoplasmosis and mental disorders. Methods. The sample included 117 toxoplasma-positive volunteers on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Data were collected online using the 71-item abbreviated form of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). Results. According to the results, a) the psychological profile of latent toxoplasmosis patients in the eight clinical scales of MMPI was within the normal range; b) in the male group, ‘duration of infection’ significantly predicted the scores for the four clinical scales of depression, psychopathic deviate, psychasthenia, and schizophrenia; also, ‘age’ predicted the scores for hypochondriasis and schizophrenia in men; c) in the female group, only ‘age’ was able to predict the scores for the scales of hysteria, paranoia, mental weakness, and social deviance; and d) there was no significant difference between male and female groups in any of the clinical scales. Conclusion. Duration of infection with latent toxoplasmosis was associated with depression, psychopathtic deviation, psychasthenia, and schizophrenia in infected males, but this was not the case for the infected females in any of the clinical scales of the 71-item abbreviated form of MMPI. Practical Implications. In mental health screening of individuals with latent toxoplasmosis, males should be screened on the scales of depression, psychopathtic deviation, psychasthenia, and schizophrenia according to the increase in the duration of infection.

Keywords

• toxoplasma gondii
• toxoplasmosis
• mental disorder
• psychopathology
• duration of infection
• gender