Effect of Specific Anti-Toxoplasmatic Add-on Medication in Toxoplasma Gondii Seropositive Individuals With Schizophrenia or Major Depression

Zentrum für Integrative Psychiatrie

Status and phase: Completed; Phase 3

Conditions: Major Depression; Schizophrenia

Treatments: Drug: pyrimethamine; Drug: folinic acid; Drug: daraprim

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT00300404

TOXO-KI-TT

SMRI grant # 01T-404

Details and patient eligibility

About

We investigate whether the add-on specific antitoxoplasmatic medication has positive effects in individuals with schizophrenia or major depression seropositive for Toxoplasma gondii (TG) infection. As TG modulates neurotransmitter metabolism affecting serotonin and dopamine we hypothesize that this chronic persistent infection might play a role for depressive and psychotic symptomatology. Therefore, on the basis of an ex juvantibus approach, specific anti TG medication might further improve psychiatric symptomatology in affected patients. This is investigated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized treatment trial.

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Schizophrenia or Major Depression
• Both genders
• Adult
• Patients are able to give informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• Additional diagnosis of substance abuse/dependency
• Continuous treatment with medication not compatible with study medication
• Medical status not compatible with study medication
• Any condition that increases study risk considerably
• Pregnancy, nursing

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind