Researchers Are Infectious Diseases Triggers Mental Illness?

Infections can obviously lead to mental disorders

A Danish study shows suspicious statistical overlaps between infections and subsequent mental illnesses. The scientists suspect a connection.

80 percent chance of mental disorder

Ole Köhler-Forsberg and his team from Aarhus University Hospital found in an observational study: Children and adolescents who have been treated for an infection are at an increased risk of developing a mental disorder thereafter. For a hospital stay due to an infection, this probability is more than 80 percent.

Lead infections with bacteria to mental disorders. A new study shows a correlation. (Image: Lassedesignen / fotolia.com)

Occupied context?

The scientists explicitly point out that an observational study can not prove a causal relationship. But you think him possible.

Other possible causal relationships

Not only a direct influence of the pathogens on the brain is possible, but also indirect influences such as intestinal flora disturbed by antibiotics or the affected immune system could play a role.

Different mental disorders

According to the researchers, the results showed that the immune system and the infection participate in the development of very different mental disorders, from compulsive to personality disorders.

Extensive study

An association between individual mental illnesses and surviving infections was known from older studies. The researchers are now fully evaluating data from the Danish National Register of Patients - Danes born between 1995 and 2012. Anyone who was in a clinic because of a serious infection for whom increased the risk of mental illness by 84 percent. If an infection was treated purely by medication, the risk was 40 percent more.

Differences in the remedies

The risk was greatest in patients who were treated with antibiotics, there was no increased risk with drugs against viruses or fungi.

Which mental illnesses broke out??

The greatest risk for those previously infected was OCD, schizophrenia, personality and behavioral disorders, autism and attention deficit syndrome.

What was the probability in detail?

Among adolescents, the odds of becoming obsessive-compulsive disorder increased eightfold, and anxiety, behavioral and developmental disorders 5.6-fold. No association was evident in depression and eating disorders.

What could be the causes?

The researchers think the pathogens can directly affect the central nervous system. Or, the antibiotics affect the intestinal flora so much that brain activities are disturbed. "We know that the gut and brain are closely interconnected. Also, the immune system itself could attack the nervous system while it fends off the pathogen, "the scientists emphasize. Viviane Labrie and Lena Brundin from the Van Andel Research Institute in Michigan support the Danish researchers and consider the study to be an indication that pathogens play a role in the development of mental disorders.

What would be the effects?

Confirming the suspicion that infections cause subsequent mental illness, this would be an important approach to prevent, diagnose and treat mental disorders. (Dr. Utz Anhalt)