South Florida’s 1st News With Andrew Colton

South Florida’s 1st News With Andrew Colton

You likely saw Andrew Colton reporting live from many of the major events that have shaped our world, including the Pentagon on 9/11, the crash of...Full Bio

 

Owning a Cat Could Double Your Risk of Schizophrenia

Big Eyed Boy Buzzing On Bird Watching

Photo: Nina Pearman / Moment / Getty Images

Studies show that owning a cat could double your risk of developing the mental condition, schizophrenia.

Australian researchers looked at the results of 17 studies in 11 countries over 44 years and found people who were around cats before age 25 had twice as much chance of developing the psychiatric disorder.

The scientists think it's because of a parasite found in cats, which can enter the body and affect the brain.

According to Science Alert, "Up to 50 percent of global population is infected by the 'cat parasite' Toxoplasma gondii, and in some areas, the infection rate is as high as 95 percent. Unless you get tested, there's no way of knowing that you're infected, but it's been associated with a number of mental disorders, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder."


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