Parasite mind control

[undergroundpanther]

Researchers have found stronger evidence for a link between a parasite in cat faeces and undercooked meat and an increased risk of schizophrenia.
Previous epidemiological and neuropathological studies have indicated some cases of schizophrenia may be associated with environmental factors, such as exposure to the parasite T. gondii. At the same time several of the medications used to treat schizophrenia have been shown to posess anti-parasitic and in particular anti-T.gondii properties. This led the authors to suspect that the anti-psychotic activity of these medications may be due to their inhibition of these parasites.

When the rats were given Haloperidol, an anti-psychotic, and Valporic acid, a mood stabiliser, the behavioural symptoms of T.gondii were reduced. They found the drugs were able to limit the suicidal feline attraction by which the rats became less aware of the dangers of cats.



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

http://www.technovelgy.com/ct/Science-Fiction-News.asp?NewsNum=547

[bettyellen]

1. i grew up with family that suffered from schizophrenia

and the more i've read about parasites, the more it reminds me of their behaviour.
i guess it's the irrational and self-destructive aspects that seem too familiar.

[Hello_Kitty]

2. Interesting

Because I always thought that schizophrenia had a genetic component, as it tends to run in families. Perhaps some people are born more suseptible to the parasites.

[Protagoras]

5. Thare are some strong genetic correlations but that doesn't account

for even the majority of schizophrenic cases. Just like the way we diagnos Alzheimers, we may one day find that 3 or 5 different things are causing 1 very similar or overlapping set of symptoms.

Right now there is a good deal of suspicion that mad cow disease (those nasty little prions) may actually have been more widespread for longer than we imagined and have been diagnosed as Alz or Schizophrenia or any number of other illnesses (or possession?)

In India the rate of AIDS is off the chart but official reasons of death is almost always something else...why? Because if you just say they had the "consumption" or whatever, it's more socially acceptable...and easy to understand.

Wouldn't suprise me at all that we have bugs in our brains that cause schizophrenia in some cases, or that defective genes cause it in other cases, or that a lack of B-12 causes it, etc... We are affected by far more than we know, and understand half as much as we think.

[mrcheerful]

3. Geeeeee I was hoping that they found the cause of

Right wing stupidity and religious fever. Oh well we can only hope there will be a cure found for both some day.

[DanCa]

4. Funny when you said parasite I kept picturing the scene in Wrath of Kahn.

You know the scene where Kahn put's that parasite in Chekov's ear. Okay it's time for me to get a life.

[patdem]

6. But was that copied from the Twilight Zone episode about the earwig?

That was one of the MOST frigtening episodes for me, as a kid I had just started being interested in bugs and knew about the earwig...but not enough to know it did NOT enter the ear and bore through the brain and leave eggs behind.