Deciphering The Role of Circulating MicroRNAs To Differentiate Psychological Disorders Among Women With Chronic Toxoplasmosis
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Status
- Recruiting
- Sponsor
- Enrollment
- 55
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Diagnostic Accuracy of Plasma miRNA Expression for Detecting Chronic Toxoplasmosis in Psychiatric Patients
Study Overview
Brief Summary
Chronic Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection is a widespread condition that can negatively affect brain function and is considered a risk factor for various psychiatric conditions, including depression and schizophrenia. This prospective observational study aims to investigate the expression levels of specific circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) in women diagnosed with schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, or bipolar disorder who also have chronic toxoplasmosis. By comparing these levels to patients without the infection, the study seeks to determine if these miRNAs can serve as biological markers to help differentiate between specific psychological disorders and identify the impact of chronic toxoplasmosis on mental health.
Study Design
- Study Type
- Observational
- Observational Model
- Cohort
- Time Perspective
- Prospective
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 18 Years to 50 Years (Adult)
- Sex
- Female
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria
- •Confirmed psychiatric diagnosis of Schizophrenia (SCZ), Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), or Bipolar Disorder (BD) according to DSM-5 criteria.
- •Seronegative for T. gondii IgM (to ensure infection is not in the acute phase).
- •Signed informed consent.
Exclusion Criteria
- •Psychiatric disorders other than Schizophrenia, MDD, and Bipolar Disorder.
- •Seropositive for T. gondii IgM (indicating acute infection).
- •Refusal to participate.
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Diagnostic Accuracy of Plasma miRNA Expression for Detecting Chronic Toxoplasmosis in Psychiatric Patients
Time Frame: 2-3 Months
The Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) Curve (AUC) used to determine the diagnostic performance of circulating microRNA fold-change (measured by qRT-PCR) in discriminating between patients with and without chronic T. gondii infection (confirmed by anti-Toxoplasma IgG ELISA).
Secondary Outcomes
No secondary outcomes reported
Investigators
Heba M. Aboelela
Assistant Professor of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Egypt
Benha University