title: The urban risk and migration risk factors for schizophrenia: are cats the answer?
abstract: Being born in and/or raised in an urban area is a proven risk factor for developing schizophrenia. Migrating from countries such as Jamaica or Morocco to countries such as England or the Netherlands is also a proven risk factor for developing schizophrenia. The transmission of Toxoplasma gondii oocysts to children is reviewed and proposed as a partial explanation for both of these risk factors.
authors.affiliation: Stanley Medical Research Institute, United States. Electronic address: torreyf@stanleyresearch.org.
authors.forename: E Fuller
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Torrey
authors.affiliation: Stanley Laboratory of Developmental Neurology, Johns Hopkins Medical Center, United States.
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Yolken
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002415:Cats; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D014504:Urban Health; D014505:Urban Population
keywords: Oocysts; Toxoplasma gondii; Toxoplasmosis; Urban risk