The impact of parasite infection on mental illness
23 August 2022
Last update: 07/05/24 12:17
More and more research is finding inflammation as a potential contributing factor toward the development of various mental illnesses. A systematic review was conducted to determine the association between parasitic infection and mental illnesses in various African populations. Two parasite groups were evaluated; helminths and protozoans, and four mental illness classifications; depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, schizotypal disorders and unspecified mental illnesses.
Humans are host to nearly 300 species of parasitic worms and over 70 species of single celled parasites. In 2020 alone, it was found that over a billion people were affected by helminth infections that were causing chronic inflammation. We have seen from previous research that certain biological factors, such as higher baseline inflammation due to high pathogen (parasite) environments being contributors to the development of depression. A higher prevalence of psychiatric disorders in countries are more prevalent suggests that parasite infections may play a role in many mental illnesses.
We conducted a systematic review in to try to shed some light on the association between parasite infection and mental illnesses. Our results displayed a clear relationship between the two. From the reviewed papers we found that an individual was four times more likely to develop a mental illness when testing positive for a parasite infection. Furthermore, nearly sixty percent of the overall participants from the papers with a mental illness also were infected with parasites.
Parasite infections can be a cause of mental illness through biological and socio-environmental paths. The inflammation caused by parasite infections affects the brain and CNS via the blood brain barrier, activation of the vagus nerve and immune cells. An individual’s genetics also play a key role in the susceptibility to parasite infections and the prediction of depression. For example, parasite infections are known to cause increased activation of the immune system in which some genes are linked with an increased risk of mental illness.
However, while increased activity in the immune system and risk of developing a mental illness can be caused by genetic predispositions, social and environmental influences such as trauma, social inequality, stigma, deprivation and poor nutrition also play an important role in the development of mental illnesses that are very prevalent in nations prone to high risk of parasite infections. Our results saw that stigma and a general lack of understanding and acceptance of parasite infections was extremely common and either caused or worsened mental illnesses.
Taking together the results of our review and that of previous work, we can see that there is a potentially causational relationship between parasite infection and mental illness, through biological, environmental and social influences. Questions remain to be answered in future studies about the exact nature of this relationship but our results have highlighted the importance of an combined public health response to both parasite infections and mental illnesses.
The article, “Impact of parasitic infection on mental health and illness in humans in Africa: a systematic review” by, Alexandra R. Lampard-Scotford, Angela McCauley, Julius Arthur Kuebel, Rachel Ibbott and Francisca Mutapi, is freely available for one month.
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Toxoplasmosis is caused by Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite infection. It’s one of the most prevalent parasites that infect humans and animals when they eat spoiled or badly cooked meat. Furthermore, the disease can be passed from mother to infant during pregnancy and through contact with contaminated cat feces. Toxoplasma infection affects more than 60% of the world’s population and is a major public health concern.
Diagnosed with Polymyalgic Rheumatica 90 days ago. steroids and light opiates. use Ivermectin 2 years. Have Fen Ben. Desperately looking for an herbal alternative to the steroid. Will study your protocol.
I believe most people are infected with pythiosis and alot have no symptoms so they are unaware that eventually their body will start making damaged cells and cancer cells before they realised they are seriously ill. I live in new Zealand and I believe this is what me and my dogs have but do you think I can get any help from Dr’s here..? No I can’t
I need to edit that… I use “swipe” and it did not come out right (the message I wrote)
This is so beautiful, and thank you guys for speaking about this. I’ve just been given the wisdom and I have taken upon myself to dive deeper into this. But there is so much truth in this and this needs to be spoke about on a wider range! This makes so much sense!!! Thank you for all your wisdom!
Today, my Stanford Immunologist told me that I have the worst parasitic infection he has seen because of the different varieties and largeness of the parasites. Because of the length and width of the parasites I can feel them moving, especially now that I am on Albendazole. When I was put on Albendazole, I thought I had my life together as middle-aged mother of six but, I guess I needed some humbling. I have not had a panic attack in almost twenty years and today, on the fifth day of Albendazole and die off, I experienced the worst panic attack I have ever had. The anxiety and mood changes have been extreme. I don’t recognize myself right now. I am passing huge tape worms and other kind’s of worms. A lot of liver flukes and I had some come out my nose. It is insane! Thankfully, I have video evidence and have been able to collect a lot for testing but after my doctor’s see the videos they really no longer need convincing. It extremely intense viewing. But, the anxiety during die off that I believe these parasites are releasing when they die in some sort of hormone rage that they are dying is real. I can feel when a really large one dies because I will get a sudden burst of anger out of nowhere. A couple hours later and I pass a LARGE parasite. I could feel it dying. Parasites are underestimated hellish creatures.
My son has schzophrenia
Is there a practitioner in Melbourne Australia who could test and treat him
Thankyou Alexandra for making this information available to to us
Maree
Wow.
I’ve been diagnosed with MI before and looking back I may have caught a parasite or had inflammation.
Recently, I had a very strong headache and I felt inflammation in my head/brain (thankfully it’s gone).
May be due to social [mal-]adaptation to new environments, of which I’ve experienced a few.
I also lately at times notice sensations of dissociation or possible breakages of neuronal links in my brain, possibly due to stress. It’s usually on one hemisphere or the other. I am aware of the necessity of maintaining balance physically, mentally & emotionally and these sensations might have something to due with brain region specialization imbalance.
Moreover, I wonder if sensations associated with ‘burnout’ are caused by inflammation.
Lastly, ever since I’ve heard of Cordyceps zombie ants, I’ve been in shock of the potentials of nature and the ceaseless adaptation Life undergoes to survive onwards.
Might be necessary to better monitor & manage and prepare & adapt sensitive & closed groups/persons to new threats/changes. I think a good key to survival of macro organisms is incorporation of newly adapted species of various other organisms; eat or be eaten.
Thank you. If possible can I get advice in relation to your research?
Thankyou for studying and printing this extremely important information. Whomever wrote this is profoundly accurate and deserves a raise.
What is the best parasite treatment for brain issues?
Do u have any more information on this?
It’s true. I had parasites and I toook a herbal antibiotics and now I have no more fear or anxiety. I thought it was all just mental
This article is really amazing as it literally provided us with the most important key points and made us understand the relationship between the two and the whole scenario extremely well. In future, we’ll be looking forward for more knowledge. In sha Allah! You will continue to give us such engaging write ups! Thank you!
Iam in a desperate situation . Is there anymore information or anybody who could help?
I have fought a parasite infection for 18months now it is now affecting all my sinuses my balance and my mental state and gp will barely acknowledge it and does not know what to do other than offer anti- psychotic medication. There is little to no knowledge around this and it’s destroying my life. It is also affecting my whole household. Can anyone please help?
I have been suffering with a parasitic infection for 14 months. Two doctors told me I didn’t have parasites because of a negative stool sample test. You CAN have parasites even if you test negative on a stool test. I was refused admittance to an infectious disease clinic. I was very upset about this. No one was truly interested in treating me. I began to get white parasites on my chin and from my lips. I have to get some relief as this situation has given me
social anxiety. I quit going to church although I still attend a women’s Bible study once a week. I finally ordered some ivermectin for myself.from India. Ivermectin just became legal over the counter in my state a week ago. Please pray for me that it works. It has taken over my life.
The rage right now is to try ivermectin and fenbendasole to rid yourself of parasites in the body. Red pine needle oil from optimally organic (read up on this product)
Have you tried bio resonance? The frequency of the parasites can be detected and weakened by a good practitioner.
Purchase apple flavor ivermectin horse dewormer and use 2 large pea size portion with food twice a day until health problem reversed(possibly30 days) . It works. Let know. God richly bless you.
I am so sorry. This is absolutely heartbreaking.
Studies like these are finally telling people the truth. We can actually get to the root cause when we are equipped with the correct information. When we understand this, and also understand how the very few ways you can get an infectioud disease (1-Virus, 2-bacterial, 3-parasites, 4-fungi, 5-prions. And that most of them could be neutralized by a few herbal anti parasitics that god put on this planet just for things like this. It’s amazing that synthetics don’t even come close to treating these things like herbs….….like SWEET wormwood-Artemis annua (not regular wormwood, like most companies use)
And black walnut hull, lavender, orange peel, pumpkin seeds, astragalus, tansy root, and others like that…taken always with a binder like non synthetic powdered zeolite and I love that we know that you need to take this SECOND STEP, for 3 weeks on, take a week break, then do 3 weeks on again, then repeat that (3,2,3) again then that concludes your SECOND STEP if you don’t still have “foreign objects” (parasites) coming out. But all that done AFTER you clear your drainage pathways and lymphatic system, while taking a binder, like non synthetic powdered zeolites for a month or two, which would be STEP ONE.
And making sure that you don’t skip that very very important FIRST STEP before the parasite “neutralizer” (which again is the SECOND STEP).
This information could be extremely important to someone that can’t get rid of parasites no matter what they try. Another reason they are so hard to eradicate, is because of the eggs… they are very hard to unalive, which is why the 3 weeks on, one week off, three weeks on is SO important. After step one and step two, if it were me, I would go right into a heavy metal/pineal gland detox, while taking a binder like non synthetic powdered zeolites.
Again, it sure is nice to learn the truth, because you sure won’t find it from your gp…. If I was trying to get ahold of someone that had this knowledge, you may find that there is a website with quite a bit of compiled info on this very topic….. Her email address is something like
Jennandtonicfarmacy
@outlook.com
Or something like that. Good luck.
I would like to make a donation to a research center that is actively researching, specifically examining human brains, to detect and determine what parasites might be the cause of anxiety, clinical depression, and bipolar behaviors in human beings. Also interested in possible genetic connections to inherited mental health issues and any connections to autoimmune immune diseases. It is high time that modern medicine closely examine the role of parasites in human health, especially mental health. (Why do we only care about their effect on our pets?) Are there any such studies currently underway in the Northeast (USA)?