Toxoplasma gondii affects trait anxiety in adult ADHD
Alexandra P. Lam, Angelika Carl, Klaus P. Kohse, Alexandra Philipsen

TL;DR
This study finds that Toxoplasma gondii infection is linked to lower trait anxiety in adults with ADHD, but not to state anxiety or comorbid anxiety disorders.
Contribution
The first study to show a serointensity-dependent association between T. gondii and trait anxiety in ADHD patients.
Findings
Seropositivity for T. gondii was significantly associated with lower trait anxiety in ADHD patients.
Trait anxiety scores decreased in an IgG-dependent manner in both ADHD patients and all participants.
Comorbid anxiety disorders in ADHD were not linked to latent T. gondii infection.
Abstract
Growing evidence emerges that Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is associated with mental disorders like anxiety disorders or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In ADHD patients around 25% suffer from comorbid anxiety disorders. As the impact of a latent T. gondii infection on anxiety in adult ADHD remains unknown, this study aims to investigate this relationship. In a case-control study, including 140 participants, venous blood samples were taken of 70 adult ADHD patients and 70 controls for serological analysis of markers of infection and inflammation (leukocytes, C-reactive protein, anti-T. gondii immunoglobulin M (IgM) and anti-T. gondii immunoglobulin G (IgG) (seropositivity), IgG titers (serointensity) as well as anti-T. gondii IgG avidity. The influences on state and trait anxiety were explored using the State-Trait-Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Seropositivity was…
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Taxonomy
TopicsToxoplasma gondii Research Studies · Tryptophan and brain disorders · Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
