Sleep onset insomnia, daytime sleepiness and sleep duration in relationship to<i>Toxoplasma gondii</i>IgG seropositivity and serointensity

Ahmad, Zaki; Moustafa, Yara W.; Stiller, John W.; Pavlovich, Mary; Raheja, Uttam K.; Gragnoli, Claudia; Snitker, Søren; Nazem, Sarra; Dagdag, Aline; Fang, Beverly; Fuchs, Dietmar; Lowry, Christopher A.; Postolache, Teodor T.

doi:10.1515/pterid-2017-0010

Cited by 7 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 83 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The questions “trouble staying asleep” (sleep maintenance), “problems during the day due to poor sleep” and “daytime sleepiness” were answered by 833 individuals, 455 (54.62%) of which were T. gondii seropositive. Other questions regarding sleep that did not include the ones mentioned above (because of a change in questionnaire length due to logistical issues), were previously analyzed in relationship to markers of chronic T. gondii infection [ 46 ]. Bedtime and wake-up time were self-reported and the mid-sleep time was calculated.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We thus reasoned that sleep impairment might mediate, at least in part, the link between T. gondii infection and psychiatric disorders and behavioral dysregulation. Recently, we reported in a sample of Old Order Amish, no associations of T. gondii IgG seropositivity and serointensity with bedtime difficulties or daytime sleepiness [ 46 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Toxoplasma gondii IgG associations with sleepwake problems, sleep duration and timing

et al. 2019

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: Evidence links Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii), a neurotropic parasite, with schizophrenia, mood disorders and suicidal behavior, all of which are associated and exacerbated by disrupted sleep. Moreover, low-grade immune activation and dopaminergic overstimulation, which are consequences of T. gondii infection, could alter sleep patterns and duration. Methods: Sleep data on 833 Amish participants [mean age (SD) = 44.28 (16.99) years; 59.06% women] were obtained via self-reported questionnaires that assessed sleep problems, duration and timing. T. gondii IgG was measured with ELISA. Data were analyzed using multivariable logistic regressions and linear mixed models, with adjustment for age, sex and family structure. Results: T. gondii seropositives reported less sleep problems (p < 0.005) and less daytime problems due to poor sleep (p < 0.005). Higher T. gondii titers were associated with longer sleep duration (p < 0.05), earlier bedtime (p < 0.005) and earlier mid-sleep time (p < 0.05). Conclusions: It seems unlikely that sleep mediates the previously reported associations between T. gondii and mental illness. Future longitudinal studies with objective measures are necessary to replicate our findings.

show abstract

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Toxoplasma gondii IgG associations with sleepwake problems, sleep duration and timing

et al. 2019

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Lancaster, PA receives an average annual rainfall of about 42.8 inches (108.7 cm) and an average annual snowfall of about 18.3 inches (46.5 cm). Lancaster County, PA was chosen for the study due to the high documented seroprevalence for T. gondii infection in the OOA community in the area [6–8] (Postolache et al, unpublished data), as compared to the general U.S. population [5]. Many cats freely roam in the Amish farms and feed by hunting rodents.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…According to a series of cross-sectional studies conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the age-adjusted seroprevalence rate for T. gondii in the United States (U.S.)-born population, aged 12–49 years, continued to decline from nearly 14% (from 1988–1994) [3], to 9% (from 1999–2004) [4], to 6.7% (from 2009 to 2010) [5]. In comparison, Old Order Amish (OOA) from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a primarily agrarian community, have a much higher T. gondii seroprevalence rates (46–65%) [6–8](Postolache et al, unpublished data). T. gondii has three infectious stages, with all stages having the capability of infecting the definitive as well as the intermediate hosts, including tachyzoites, sporozoites (present in the oocysts), and bradyzoites (present in the tissue cysts) [1, 9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

No evidence for airborne transmission of Toxoplasma gondii in a very high prevalence area in Lancaster County

et al. 2018

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) has been associated with acute food-borne illness, chronic low-grade inflammation, neuropsychiatric conditions and reactivation of chronic latent infection in immunocompetent hosts. Primary infection with T. gondii in pregnant women can lead to congenital toxoplasmosis. In addition to well-known oral tissue-cyst or oocyst ingestion, we hypothesized that the very high prevalence of T. gondii in certain populations exposed to agricultural dust could be, in part, a consequence of airborne infection with oocysts. Methods: Wo collected environmental dust samples from an area with a reportedly high T. gondii seroprevalence in the Old Order Amish population, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Samples included: a) air filters from air-conditioning units; b) swabs of settled dust; and c) vacuum filters containing airborne field dust. Pools of the swabs and shredded sub-samples of the air filters were fed to pigs, with inoculation into mice of heart tissue from seroconverted pigs. We also investigated the presence of T. gondii DNA using PCR amplification. Results: Only one pig seroconverted. However, bioassay of pig heart tissue further inoculated into mice showed no evidence of T. gondii infection. Consistently, no evidence of T. gondii DNA was revealed in any sample. Conclusions: No evidence of airborne transmission was found in the environmental samples that were examined.

show abstract

“…The accumulation of Aβ in the brain is one of the first major pathological symptoms in AD and may be a trigger for sleep disorders; however, other factors, such as irregular physical activities or mealtimes of the elderly, exposure to insufficient daylight for institutional care, antidepressants, and medication for hypertension or heart diseases, may also play a role in the severity of sleep problems in patients with AD [ 219 ]. The results of two studies examining the relationship between T. gondii immunoglobulin G seropositivity and sleep problems have shown that sleep is unlikely associated with mental disorders [ 221 , 222 ]. However, T. gondii may directly affect sleep through dopamine endogenous production [ 148 , 223 , 224 ].…”

Section: Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

Toxoplasma gondii: A possible etiologic agent for Alzheimer's disease

Nayeri

Sarvi

Sharif

et al. 2021

Heliyon

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Toxoplasma gondii ( T. gondii ) is one of the most pervasive neurotropic pathogens causing different lesions in a wide variety of mammals as intermediate hosts, including humans. It is estimated that one-third of the world population is infected with T. gondii ; however, for a long time, there has been much interest in the examination of the possible role of this parasite in the development of mental disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). T. gondii may play a role in the progression of AD using mechanisms, such as the induction of the host's immune responses, inflammation of the central nervous system (CNS), alteration in the levels of neurotransmitters, and activation of indoleamine-2,3-dyoxigenase. This paper presents an appraisal of the literature, reports, and studies that seek to the possible role of T. gondii in the development of AD. For achieving the purpose of the current study, a search of six English databases (PubMed, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Scopus, ProQuest, and Google Scholar) was performed. The results support the involvement of T. gondii in the induction and development of AD. Indeed, T. gondii can be considered a risk factor for the development of AD and requires the special attention of specialists and patients. Furthermore, the results of this study may contribute to prevent or delay the progress of AD worldwide. Therefore, it is required to carry out further studies in order to better perceive the parasitic mechanisms in the progression of AD.

show abstract

Sleep onset insomnia, daytime sleepiness and sleep duration in relationship toToxoplasma gondiiIgG seropositivity and serointensity

Cited by 7 publications

References 83 publications

Toxoplasma gondii IgG associations with sleepwake problems, sleep duration and timing

Toxoplasma gondii IgG associations with sleepwake problems, sleep duration and timing

No evidence for airborne transmission of Toxoplasma gondii in a very high prevalence area in Lancaster County

Toxoplasma gondii: A possible etiologic agent for Alzheimer's disease

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About