While previous studies have reported an observational relationship between mental health and common allergic diseases, until now, causal relationships had not yet been identified.
Researchers from Bristol Medical School: Population Health Sciences (PHS) and School of Psychological Science wanted to find out whether allergic diseases actually cause mental health traits including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia or vice-versa.
The authors conclude that intervening on the initial presentation of allergic disease is unlikely to improve mental health outcomes. Likewise, preventing the onset of mental health traits will unlikely reduce the risk of allergic disease. However, further research is required to investigate whether intervening on the progression of allergic disease after onset has any causal impact on mental health.