Mind Control by Parasites

[tocqueville]

Bill Christensen

Technovelgy.com
Sat Feb 11, 8:00 AM ET


Half of the world's human population is infected with Toxoplasma, parasites in the body—and the brain. Remember that.

Toxoplasma gondii is a common parasite found in the guts of cats; it sheds eggs that are picked up by rats and other animals that are eaten by cats. Toxoplasma forms cysts in the bodies of the intermediate rat hosts, including in the brain.

Dr. E. Fuller Torrey (Associate Director for Laboratory Research at the Stanley Medical Research Institute) noticed links between Toxoplasma and schizophrenia in human beings, approximately three billion of whom are infected with T. gondii:

Toxoplasma infection is associated with damage to astrocytes, glial cells which surround and support neurons. Schizophrenia is also associated with damage to astrocytes.

Pregnant women with high levels of antibodies to Toxoplasma are more likely to give birth to children who will develop schizophrenia. Human cells raised in petri dishes, and infected with Toxoplasma, will respond to drugs like haloperidol; the growth of the parasite stops. Haloperidol is an antipsychotic, used to treat schizophrenia.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20060211/sc_space/mindcontrolbyparasites

read the whole article, it's worth it

my Goa'uld is telling me to go back to work...

[CrazyOrangeCat]

1. ummm . . .

There are photos of me with Heidi the cat . . . in my cradle in 1959.

I've always had a cat.

I was raised by educated people who taught me to THINK FOR MYSELF.

:)

[Sarah Ibarruri]

2. Interesting article and it brings something to mind

This is not the first time I've read that people are infected with parasites. Apparently doctors used to check for parasites routinely years and years ago, but it stopped. In fact, analysis of fecal matter has dropped to almost nil, and analysis of parasites in blood as well. Strange. I mean, it's not like parasites have disappeared or anything. The medical industry simply stopped checking for them.

[Skeptor]

10. Tests still happen but routine tests are no longer

considered necessary because the almost universal availability of treated of drinking water has largely eliminated the most common, water-born parasites, and when parasitic disease occurs in advanced countries it is always localised. Also, improved diagnostic techniques and more especially improved medical information resources means that doctors test only where symptoms and circumstances (e.g. reported outbreaks, known water system failures) suggest it is worthwhile to do so.

As an interesting aside, some doctors are now treating a limited range of medical conditions (notably irritable bowel syndrome) by getting patients to drink water containing parasitic worms. The worms use up a little of a person's food energy intake, but in return secrete chemicals that prevent the irritation.

To harp on a theme I referred to in another science thread, humans have co-evolved with a huge number of organisms over millenia, and some have been demonstrated to help us live our lives more comfortably (that's why some of us eat yoghurt regularly - check the label on the tub for "cultures"). The cleanliness and antibiotics of the modern world have health detriments as well as benefits.

[On the Road]

3. Unfortunately, the Article Doesn't Say

anything about how prevalent this is in the US, how to test for it, or whether there is a cure.

Half the world's population? That is huge! And the consequences are not small.

[tocqueville]

6. 51% are infected, vote for Bush

the consequences are not small

[BlueJazz]

4. On the other hand, they are rather Cute >>

Arrrrrrch!

[Sarah Ibarruri]

5. Damn.

And American medicine doesn't test for this kind of stuff. They do in Europe and other countries. They should test for it here, with the food supply being as messed up as it is.

[On the Road]

7. Here's a CDC Link

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/toxoplasmosis/factsht_toxoplasmosis.htm#what


Actually, it doesn't look that serious. You can contract it cleaning out the cat litter box, gardening, or handling uncooked meat carelessly.

The author appeared more interested in the science fiction aspect than in the actual impact on the half of the world that actually has this parasite.

[NNadir]

8. Is the science forum the right place to discuss the Republican party?

;)

[Skeptor]

9. If so many have it, and it affects our behavior, then we co-evolved

Which suggests that as a species we might not have survived without the infection. Particularly when you consider schizophrenia as a condition that is characterized by an enhanced (albeit to an extreme and often debilitating degree) capacity to perceive patterns and make conceptual connections. I have been hoping for a while now that I would come across reference to this organism, whose name I had forgotten since first reading about it, since I am researching a novel with a neurological/evolutionary theme. So thanks, tocqueville. If I ever get to finish the damn thing and I can find you, you're in line for a complimentary copy!

[depakid]

11. We haven't co-evolved

Because cats have only been domesticated for a few thousand years and the exposed population is widespread and diverse. In addition, you wouldn't expect to see much selection pressure, because schizophrenia is a comparatively mild defect (in terms of "fitness"). It typically doesn't express until well after people have reached sexual maturity.

Out of curiousity, I ran a pub med search and looked at a few of the 24 abstracts. The data suggests that the association between prenatal infections- including influenza and rubella, is independent of the well established genetic connection, although I doubt you could you could come up with an accurate attributable risk for toxoplasmosis.

What's interesting about the underlying study presented to the Royal Society is that haldol (an anti-psychotic) and depakote (valproic acid- a mood stabilizer) seem to effectively treat the rats and prevent suicidal behavior "cat seeking" behavior.

http://www.imperial.ac.uk/P7349.htm

What's also noteworthy, of course, is that women looking to get pregnant ought to consider getting a titer and seeking treatment for toxoplasmosis first (kind of like you'd want to be taking folic acid to prevent spina bifida). And take steps to avoid infection during pregnancy.