Evaluation of the relationship between celiac and psychosis

Background and There has been some controversies about the etiological relationship between celiac and psychosis. Ït is even considered that the difference in prevalence of schizophrenia in different countries is due to differences in cereal and wheat consumption. There are reports that psychotic symptoms of schizophrenic patients have been reduced after consumption of gluten free diet. Some reports indicated that history of celiac disease is a risk factor for schizophrenia. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between psychotic symptoms and celiac disease. Ïn a retrospective cohort study, 13 celiac patients and 26 controls were recruited and matched for age, sex, perceived stress and thyroid function. Â semi structured psychiatric interview based on DSM-ÏV, family history of psychosis, neurological examination for neurological soft signs and determination of serological levels of ÏL-2 receptors were done for each groups. Non of the individuals in the case and control groups had psychotic symptoms. Neurological soft sign scores and serological levels of ÏL-2 receptors in each group were not significantly different. Two of the celiac patients had a positive family history of psychotic disease, but no one in control group had such a history. Serological levels of ÏL-2 receptors in celiac patients who had gluten free diet were higher than non-gluten free diet celiac patients (P=0.05). Çonclusion: Ïn this study psychosis was not higher in celiac group than control, and non-significant difference between ÏL-2 receptor levels in celiac and control group was unexpected. More investigation with larger sample size or bootstrap re-sampling after several years is recommended.