toxoplasma gondiisimple, challenging toxoplasmosisIt’s as disturbing as it is exciting. This parasite is able to turn its hosts into true puppets, which it manipulates at will in order to find new individuals for parasitism and ensure their survival. Their favorite hosts feline, which is why he manipulates mice to go crazy for cat and chimpanzee urine so they don’t fear approaching leopards. Causes a person impulsive behavior and even associated with psychotic outbursts. But that’s not all, because it has now also been found that it can make infected patients more attractive. This appears to occur in rats, but also in humans.

The reasons are unclear. In fact, the authors of the study just published in Per J. they admit that they have to repeat it with more participants. However, they have some hypotheses. It is clear that the parasite that causes toxoplasmosis needs its hosts to be attractive to other people. Because of this, he could manipulate his metabolic rateas release of certain hormoness, which would make them healthier and more attractive.

This is especially noticeable in testosterone levels, which are usually higher in people infected with the parasite. However, we cannot forget that increased testosterone levels they also give more impulsiveness, so they can be more prone to infection. It’s hard to know which came first, the chicken or the egg. In any case, knowing all that Toxoplasma gondii is capable of, that it is she who is responsible for the attractiveness of her hosts, sounds surprising, but not implausible.

This is the parasite that causes toxoplasmosis.

Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan that causes toxoplasmosis, a disease usually mildyes, it can be deadly cats and human fetuses. It is for this reason that the possible routes of infection by this parasite in pregnant women are carefully controlled to avoid abortions.

It is estimated that 50% of people have this parasite in their body.

In adults, they often do not even suspect that they are infected. In fact, it is considered that 50% of people have this parasite in their body. However, in some cases, alarming symptoms may occur. toxoplasma gondii manipulates the behavior of its owners, making them more impulsive. The reasons are very clear in mice and chimpanzees, but not in humans. However, if we look back and think about our ancestorstheir impulsiveness can expose them to big cats, and that would be great for the parasite that causes toxoplasmosis.

Currently this is not a problem, but such behavior manipulation can cause psychotic episodes or hasten the onset of schizophrenia. This is not common, but there are several documented cases in the scientific literature. What does all this have to do with the attractiveness of the hosts?

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Attractive host is the best host

The authors of the newly published study from University of Turkuin Finland found an increase in host attractiveness Toxoplasma gondii at various levels.

To begin with, they proceeded from the findings of a study published in 2011. It was seen that infected male rats toxoplasmosis parasites were more attractive to females. Therefore, they gave them preference in mating.

People who had the parasite considered themselves more attractive, but were also judged as such by other observers.

They wanted to see if something similar happens in humans. Therefore, they conducted three types of experiments with 35 people are infected and 178 are not infected with the parasite. On the one hand, focusing on males, as they did with rats, they measured their testosterone levels. So they saw that this hormone is higher in patients with toxoplasmosis. But this could have other explanations and not take into account women.

Therefore, they also analyzed a parameter known as fluctuating asymmetry, which measures small differences in a person’s features that move them away from perfect bilateral symmetry. Presumably, greater asymmetry is associated with greater attractiveness. And it turns out that people who had a parasite in their bodies, low level of asymmetry. They were more symmetrical and, in a way, more attractive. But it’s still a relatively objective measure for something that tends to be very subjective. So they did a series of interviews.

On the one hand, they asked study participants about their perception of their own physique. They noticed that those who had the toxoplasmosis parasite tend to consider themselves more attractive. This, in fact, does not necessarily mean that they are objectively more attractive. But it’s true that sometimes self-confidence is the best beauty remedy. And it seems that they were served.

On the other hand, typed 205 other volunteers dedicated to the assessment of the images of all participants. The results followed in the same direction as those who had the parasite were classified as much more attractive.

Thus, it turns out that the parasite also manipulates the attractiveness of its hosts. By influencing the levels of certain hormones, these people can appear healthier and attract other people’s attention. It has even been observed that affected women lower body mass index. To know exactly what was going on, the study would have to be repeated with more participants. But it seems that the reasons why toxoplasma gondii Interestingly, they do not stop appearing. What will happen next?

Source: Hiper Textual

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