An inconclusive study does not find Toxoplasma gondii infection causes schizophrenia as is reported on many websites this morning.
The online newspapers and even online science journals are misrepresenting the conclusions of another study which seeks to find a link between the parasitic protozoan toxoplasma gondii and psychiatric disorders in people.
For instance, IFL Science’s headline boldly and brazenly declares: Biggest Study To Date Finds Link Between Cat Pee And Schizophrenia.
However, the study itself (which we can’t be sure has been carried out soundly – see quote below) concludes in the first lines: T. gondii infection might be a contributing causal factor for schizophrenia.
Below is a comment from Jane:
“My in house, red cell serologist read the paper, so did I. His verdict is that it shows all that is wrong with science. I agree.
EG. Extrapolating connections to theoretical ‘psychiatric’ disease/self harming behaviours from populations who are at least 50% carriers of CMV/TG, is nothing more than a wild stab in the dark. Hilarious in its ineptitude, at best.
It is a pick & mix, disorganised piece of junk. It identifies what it wants to prove, then, rather than try to disprove it, via thorough method & practice, it scrambles desperately to grasp connection to an exploratory, unproven hypothesis. This is micro-combing of data. It is bullshit.
The ‘scientists’ who authored this junk are clinging to their security of tenure. White knuckles, desperate.
Science is the big embarrassment on this one.”
Therefore the findings of the study are inconclusive. They do not find a causal link. My message to website reporters is to do better please and don’t undermine the reputation of the domestic and feral cat. Also IFL Science carelessly refers to ‘cat pee’ when they should refer to ‘cat poo’.
The cat is a definitive host of the Toxoplasma gondii protozoan (shed in faeces) and therefore if reporters misrepresent the conclusions of studies in this way they are hurting the status of the domestic cat. This can lead to retaliation against stray cats by irresponsible and ignorant people. There is already enough cat abuse in the world. Please don’t encourage more gratuitous violence against innocent animals.
I’d argue that the study entitled: “Large-scale study of Toxoplasma and Cytomegalovirus shows an association between infection and serious psychiatric disorders” [link], might be flawed anyway.
For instance, it may be the case that people with psychiatric disorders are more likely to seek the comfort of a domestic cat and be careless about cleaning the cat’s litter tray. This may expose the person far more to Toxoplasma oocysts which in turn could lead to a higher incidence of people with mental health problems having toxoplasmosis. This is just a crude example. There are many other variables which could mask the conclusion.
Of course, you know that I agree with you. The more that I have researched studies and been involved in fighting the good fight against cat hating, the more I have realised that ornithologists and other people with vested interests are behind the sort of information presented in this study. I’m not sure it is a biased study but it would not surprise me if it was.
I think we are on to something with the bird lovers funding this research. I just saw a post in my news feed featuring a graphic video of sick birds at what appears to be a lab that were allegedly attacked by cats being worked on by “surgeons”. Funny that all the surgeons look like super models and the room was set up too perfectly if you get my drift. Wait for it – It was produced by the ornithological society. Propaganda giving cat haters a reason to hurt cats. It’s not a stretch after seeing this to believe they are funding this bogus research. The tobacco industry tried the same thing in the 50’s with phony research that disproved cigarettes cause illness. Again, pay me and I will say whatever you want.
It is an outrage that so called scientists and assistants who are psychopaths will torture and murder animals for a pay check. Isn’t it funny how they have to keep running the tests over and over for years and never develop new drugs which would end their pay check or come up with a conclusion which also ends the gravy train? Until activists campaign to get their funding pulled due to public outrage over animal cruelty. I am so happy that my state (CA) has banned animal testing in the cosmetics industry as of 2019. Now we need to pass the statewide trapping ban and extend the LA and SF fur sale ban statewide. We are celebrating a statewide ban on the torture and cruelty to ducks in the making of foie gras after a long, protracted battle with the greedy restaurant association.
I agree, there is. It is getting worse by the day.
Humans have always created scapegoats to assuage their guilt and stupidity. The cat is an easy target for hate filled dullards of every level of ‘education’
A scapegoat affords humans the fool’s luxury of never having to examine their actions, especially the unethical or immoral ones.
Me too. It’s a load of bollocks to be blunt. Scientists are no less likely to behave unethically as anyone else but people tend to think that they are highly moral people.
‘a circle jerk’ or ‘a jerk circle’? 🙂 They are as bad as each other. There is an insidious underground campaign against the domestic and feral cat.