schizophrenia?!

DreamerRose

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Dr. Fuller Torrey is a well-known authority on schizophrenia, so I would take his research seriously. However, cats are very common pets, and probably the majority of people had them when they were children. The groups in the study really should be compared to a group without schizophrenia, and I didn't get the impression from the CBS story that there was a control group.
 

stephenq

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Ok I know it may seem crazy but if you just google it there are so many articles about it.  There have even been numerous studies on it and there was some study done in the 1970s that found that some 50 percent of people with schizophrenia had cats in their childhood.  The bacteria found in cat poop, T. gondii,  is associated with schizophrenia patients.  
Sure but almost 50% of homes have cats too.  Saying that 50% of people with schizophrenia have cats is no different  than saying 50% have dogs, and 50% eat pizza. The important question is how many homes with cats have schizophrenia in people vs. homes that do not have cats?  And even if there was a difference that is just a correlation, not a causation.
 

Kieka

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How many of those cats were indoor only with a litter box? Of those how many homes had the kids clean the litter box to be exposed? Too many factors involved to link the two. Data can be manipulated to show whatever your goal is if you have a predisposed conclusion you are going for.
 

DreamerRose

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@StephenQ - No, they need to check how many people with scizophrenia had cats vs. how many people WITHOUT schizophrenia had cats. If more people WITH had cats than people WITHOUT, there might be a correlation.
 

solomonar

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The old trick of presenting statistic correlation as science study. The article has nothing to do with science.

One shall read about what does it mean a science method and what is the difference to a statistic correlation, for more peace of mind.

And schizophrenia could not be caused by an infection anyway.

But you know, one has to prove he/she did something in order to get more funds...

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A good science study may need one year, experiments, observations and ends in a cause-effect identification. That is really hard work.

A correlation can be done in few weeks, looks very shinny but means nothing. To explain: every day I drink my coffee in the morning and my cat goes to the litter box. The two variables: me drinking coffee and cat going to litter are correlated 100%. But does it mean that my cat goes to the litter box because I drink coffee?!
 
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foxden

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solomonar solomonar " -- A good science study may need one year, experiments, observations and ends in a cause-effect identification. That is really hard work."

Correct,
AND
When you are dealing with mental illnesses or with illnesses that appear only as one ages, the one year has to be MANY years. Only large institutions devoted to overall health have the resources to collect that information over the time required to demonstrate any cause and effect theory.
 

stephenq

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@StephenQ - No, they need to check how many people with scizophrenia had cats vs. how many people WITHOUT schizophrenia had cats. If more people WITH had cats than people WITHOUT, there might be a correlation.
That's basically what I said but as others have also said that only shows a correlation and correlations do not prove causation, two totally different things.
 

DreamerRose

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That's basically what I said but as others have also said that only shows a correlation and correlations do not prove causation, two totally different things.
I agree it would only show a correlation. I don't think the original studies did even that.
 

mingsmongols

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They actually released a multiyear study following kids and cats about two weeks ago and found no evidence showing a higher chance of schizophrenia.
 

mingsmongols

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Bad news though, now we can't blame our Kitty's parasites for making us pander to their every demand.
 
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