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Toxoplasma gondii
I just finished reading a very interesting book Parasite Rex by Carl Zimmer and to have high relationship with some mania that has my partner with the parasites.
For her almost any disease is to the pests. And it forces me to take worming. I was sick of it.
However, after you read this book one is left with doubt. "Parasites govern our behavior? "Three billion people worldwide are being manipulated by parasites?
Are we puppets of parasites?
Some parasites have the uncanny ability to manipulate the behavior of guests. The lancet Diarocoelium dendriticum, for example to force his huspedes subject of leaves of grass where the loa mammals can eat grass. Since this parasite can complete its cycle in the gut of cattle or other eating grass. Another is the Euhaplorchis californiensis that causes infections in fish and makes them jump out of the water increasing posivilidad the birds eat it. Parasites are
beautiful baby, but the toxoplasma gondiii is a single-celled parasite lives in the intestines of cats, they are encapsulated as eggs and can reach other animalespor rats or other animals that eat cats. Toxoplasma forms cysts by receiving the intermediary bodies, including the brain. And even the rat infected with Toxoplasma paracer be in perfect health.
But scientists at Oxford have descuebierto the parasite switches to the rat in a very subtle but vital way.
In studies of rats, are put to them in a tight maze in which they have food and water in a corner, another with a different smell, like fresh straw and cotton fibers in other urine odor in another rabbit and cat urine. When you are healthy, and comes to cat urine smell coming in great anxiety and never return to that corner. It is used to test medication for anxiety, because if left to the rats in that area end up falling into panic. That keeps them alive and is a response to the odor.
But when used rats exposed to toxoplasma. The rats did not suffer anything like that. They were indifferent to the smell of cat. It is as if to be eaten. And that was precisely what the parasite wanted to stay alive. Somehow alters your brain chemistry so you will not fear the smell of cat. This manipulation
evouciono by natural selection, the most successful parasites suppress fear the rats will have more Descending.
is known that humans too are huspedes of Toxoplasma infections as humans, not because of how we could infererir to eat rats, if not handling cat litter or soil in their hands. In most people the infection causes no symptoms. Only people roll weakened immune system is that toxoplasma is growing in an uncontrolled manner .. also gets to live in our brains.
is estimated that half the world population is infected with toxoplasma. THREE BILLION PEOPLE.
mentioned in the book does not appear to and does not say. But in humans the parasite manipulates our minds also.
Because we use the same neurotransmitters that cats and rats. But this manipulation of our minds is not good for the parasite. Not a good fit, very few humans are eaten by cats.
Some scientists think that change our personality parasite differently in men and women. Parasitologist Jaroslav Flegrean adminoistro test Psychological infetadas people and uninfected individuals. Found infected in a small tarball, but statistically significant tendency to be more insecure and self-reproach. But paradoxically in women appears to be more affectionate and outgoing. While men were more jealous and suspicases.
In a very controversial work which attracted much atrencion E. Fuller Torrey who found an intriguing relationship between toxoplasma and schizophrenia. The parasite infection was associated with damage to a certain class of neurons (astrocytes). Women with high levels of antibodies were more likely to have children later developed schizophrenia. Torrey found more relationships in your
paper) 2003. which if you have not been fully supported is a smoking gun. And it gives us food for thought. Because even though some people just will subtly change the personality in a minority will cause devastating effects. Torrey
A year later he found another fascinating relationship. Cultured human cells and capsules Pietro infected with toxoplasma. Then I added a variety of drugs that are used in schizophrenia. Many of them, most notably haloperidol bloqueron parasite growth.
Fuller and the Oxford scientists joined forces to take the next logical step Can drugs used to treat schizophrenia help treat infected rats? In this report > http://www.journals.royalsoc.ac.uk/ (zlzvwhfikhom5i55rvzsil55) / app / home / main.asp? Referrer = default And http://www. imperial.ac.uk/P7349.htm http://www.imperial.ac.uk/P7349.htm displayed the results. they began to give toxopsma to 49 rats. And as expected they lost their fear of cats. Then they began to treat these rats haloperiol and other antipsychotic drugs. They found that rats became more fearful. They found that the antipsychotics were as effective as piramitamina, a drug specific for eliminate Toxoplasma. There are still many questions
How does the parasite to manipulate the minds of the guests? And many say that thanks to toxoplasma is that diversity has increased cultural among so intriguing to me is that this parasite has been widely studied because half the population it has "But other ways that parasites can manipulate our minds? How many other parasites can do the same? This is critical because it goes to the foundation of our free will and our freedom. When we think we do something Who makes the decision, we or the parasite? Who rules in our mind?
note, this post was one of the first to write in my blog before it was deleted, I wrote 5 years ago in 2005, I found and put back
science, science, parasites, parasites ,