title: Bipolar Disorder With Psychotic Features and Ocular Toxoplasmosis: A Possible Pathogenetic Role of the Parasite?
abstract: Recent evidence suggests the involvement of Toxoplasma gondii infection in the emergence of psychotic and affective disorders. In this report, we describe the case of a young Brazilian woman affected by recurrent ocular toxoplasmosis and presenting with a manic episode with psychotic features in the context of a diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder (BD), type I. We observed a relationship between ocular manifestations and the clinical course of bipolar illness, confirmed by molecular analyses (nested-PCR), as well as by the high level of T. gondii specific IgG. This case report is the first showing the presence of circulating parasite DNA at the time of occurrence of psychiatric symptoms, thus providing further support for a possible role of the parasite in the pathogenesis of some cases of BD.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, Pisa; †Department of Medical Sciences, Section of Infectious Diseases, University of Ferrara, Ferrara; ‡Institute for Maternal and Child Health-IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", Trieste; and §Department of Translational Research, N.T.M.S., School of Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Del Grande
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Contini
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schiavi
authors.forename: Grazia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rutigliano
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maritati
authors.forename: Silva
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Seraceni
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dell'Osso
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bruschi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001938:Brazil; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D014126:Toxoplasmosis, Ocular / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D055815:Young Adult