Parasite Hijacks Brain With Surgical Precision

New Scientist ^ | 4-2-2007 | Andy Coghlan

[blam]

Parasite hijacks brains with surgical precision

22:00 02 April 2007
NewScientist.com news service
Andy Coghlan

A mere parasite controls the fate of rats and mice by hijacking the part of the brain that makes the rodents naturally fear cats, a new study shows.

Rats and mice normally flee if they smell cat urine, but not if they're infected by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. The parasite can only complete its life cycle if its rodent host is eaten by a cat, so it "brainwashes" the creature into apparently liking the scent.

Now Ajai Vyas and his colleagues at Stanford University in California, US, have revealed that the brainwashing is surgically precise. The parasites seem to reverse the rodent's innate fear by interfering with the amygdala, the seat of conditioned responses in the brain. Vyas's team looked at the distribution of the parasite in the brain of infected rats, and found it was almost twice as dense in the amygdala.

The exquisite precision leaves intact all other neurological mechanisms for learning to avoid danger, so the rodents learn to survive all hazards except being eaten by cats – the only form of death beneficial to the parasite.

Journal reference: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0608310104)

[darkwing104]

Parasite hijacks brains with surgical precision

A new excuse for liberalism!

[kcar]

Wonder when Stanford University will identify the parasites that make ordinary taxpayers cease to fear big government politicians?

[ClearCase_guy]

The exquisite precision leaves intact all other neurological mechanisms for learning to avoid danger, so the rodents learn to survive all hazards except being eaten by cats – the only form of death beneficial to the parasite.

I can believe that such a lifecycle was created as part of Intelligent Design.

But I don't have enough faith to see this as a blind result of "natural selection".

[sono]

A similar mechanism might explain why the libs hate W more than they hate the islamofascists.

[freeangel]

Apparently, the dems have a form of this parasite in relation to islamists.

[sageb1]

I wasn’t thinking along the same lines. Hmmmm...where do they want to go with this when they’re done with the rodents?

[dforest]

It called Rudyphyte parasite. It really does take over the brain.

Causes delusions, paranoia, combativeness, and abandonment of conservatism.

Look out!

[nmh]

I was wondering why they would study the removal of fear in the brain? Kind of odd ... unless you have some agenda in mind ... .

[thackney]

Parasite attacking the brain?

Did their eyes start to glow?

[Gene Eric]

>> its rodent host is eaten by a cat, so it “brainwashes” the creature into apparently liking the scent.

I’m reminded of the ‘scent of a woman.’

[Panzerlied]

“Wonder when Stanford University will identify the parasites that make ordinary taxpayers cease to fear big government politicians?”

No need for that. The parasites are called, “The Main Stream Media”

Infection ultimately leaves the victim a drooling, mindless cretin.

[sourcery]

DemocRATs: Just another species of rodent, who for some strange reason show no fear of Islamofascism.

[elmer fudd]

I can believe that such a lifecycle was created as part of Intelligent Design. But I don't have enough faith to see this as a blind result of "natural selection".

And you don't find the idea of God designing harmful parasites a little disturbing? This is the same parasite that causes toxoplasmosis and often causes brain damage in infants.

[mikrofon]

"Kneel before your god!"

[Crim]

Damn...beat me to it by a mile...