In the March 2012 Atlantic, there is an article entitled "How Your Cat is Making You Crazy," by Kathleen McAuliffe. Her paper is about one scientist - Jaroslav Flegr, an evolutionary biologist at Charles University in Prague - who believes himself to be a victim of mind-bending, emotion-bending, action-changing parasites in his brain. After years of working on this subject without respect or support, Flegr is finally getting the respect and financial support for his research and the topic itself. This paper is a reporting about the article - mostly facts, little analysis.
"Believing that a single-celled parasite in the protozoan family was subtly manipulating his personality, causing him to behave in strange, often self-destructive ways," Flegr set about to research the problem - knowing he could not be the only person suffering. In his view, this problem could be responsible for deaths, schizophrenia and other psychological and emotional symptoms.
The parasite in question is the same one we have been warned comes from our cats - toxoplasma gondii - the microbe that causes toxoplasmosis. This parasite is excreted in the feces of the cat. In the past, we have been told to stay away from their litter boxes when pregnant; this parasite and babies should not mix it up as the parasite can cause severe brain problems if transferred in-vitro. We now know that even those with lower immune systems can be severely affected. Healthy individuals can experience a bit of nausea, but no severe symptoms.
If humans are infected, it is presumed that the parasite sits dormant in the brain cells. Aack! But here's the rub - this supposedly latent parasite may not be so quietly sitting there. It may be altering the connections between neurons and changing our responses in ways that may allow the parasite to make it back to a cat - the only place it can reproduce. The alteration of our neural connections changes responses in situations that are frightening, changes our preference for certain scents, changes whether we are introverted or extroverted and changes how willingly we trust others.
Several months ago, I watched a PBS show about the extent to which plants work to survive. In sort of a "Nature will find a way" from Jurassic Park, both the plants and this parasite are working to survive. And if they have to take you down to do it, that is how it will have to be.
What caused Flegr to look to for a problem?
• His behavior caused him concern.
• He had no concern when crossing the street in the middle of heavy traffic.
• When cars honked at him, he didn't jump out of the way.
• He made no effort to hide his scorn for the communists - the rulers at the time. Given the politics of the time, he could have been imprisoned for speaking so openly.
• When under gunfire, he was very calm - a distinct contrast to his frightened colleagues.
How it Works:
• Indoor cats do not carry the parasite.
• Outdoor cats eliminate the parasite only during the three weeks of their life when they are young and have just begun to hunt.
• Humans are exposed by contact - by litter boxes, by drinking water contaminated with cat feces, by consuming unwashed vegetables, or by eating raw or undercooked meat.
• The parasite rewires circuits in the parts of the brain dealing with such primal emotions as fear, anxiety and sexual arousal.
• The parasite disconnects the fear circuits in the brain, which might help to explain why infected rats lose their aversion to cat odor.
Theories
• Schizophrenia did not become prevalent until the mid-1700s - roughly the time Europeans began keeping cats as pets. This trend spread quickly in popularity and the incidence of schizophrenia exploded.
• The parasite contributes to many other problems - including car crashes, suicides, and mental disorders such as schizophrenia.
• It is a likely factor in several hundred thousand road deaths each year.
• This parasite infection may be responsible for as many deaths as malaria - at least a million people a year.
• T. gondii may not be the only parasite messing with our thinking. Egad! What a thought.
• The parasite may increase the risk of suicide. "In a 2011 study of 20 European countries, the national suicide rate among women increased in direct proportion to the prevalence of the infection in the population."
• One theory is that it "disrupts mood and the ability to control violent impulses." However, rather than the parasite causing the difficulty, it could be the body's own immune responses to the parasite causing the problem.
• In schizophrenia studies, parts of the cerebral cortex have been shown to be shrinking. Dr. Flegr thinks the parasite may be to blame for that as well. Studies show that people with cerebral cortex shrinkage are also infected with this parasite.
• The parasite may trigger schizophrenia in genetically susceptible people.
Infection Rates:
• French can have an infection rate as high as 55 percent due to their love of really red meat.
• Americans have infection rates at 10 to 20 percent.
• Up to one-third of the world is infected with this parasite.
Studies - Animal
• Infected rodents were much more active in running wheels than uninfected - making them a more-attractive target for cats.
• T.gondii can turn a rat's strong innate aversion to cats into an attraction, thereby luring it into the jaws of its No. 1 predator.
• Infected rats were attracted to cat urine - again a way to get back to the cat.
• Infected rats - although happy and healthy - had benign cysts all over their brain, with many more cysts in the parts of the brain that deals with pleasure, fear and anxiety.
• The parasite produces more dopamine in the brain - a critical signaling molecule involved in fear, pleasure and attention; dopamine is known to be high in people with schizophrenia.
• The parasite makes cat odor smell sexy to male rats.
• Infected male rats suddenly become much more attractive to females.
• 75% of female rats would rather spend time with an infected male.
Studies - Human
• Personality effects are very subtle in infected humans. If a woman was introverted before infection, it might make her a little less introverted.
• Infected humans had significantly delayed reaction times.
• Infected people became less attentive and slowed down a minute or so into the test. This leads to a concern about traffic accidents.
• Mental illness is two to three times more common in people with the parasite.
• There were sex-specific changes in personality
Infected men were more introverted, suspicious, inclined to ignore rules, and oblivious to other people's opinions of them.
Infected women were more outgoing, trusting, image-conscious, and rule-abiding than uninfected women.
Infected men tended to have fewer friends.
Infected women tended to have more friends.
Infected men don't have a normal response to fear; and in situations where danger is a factor they feel all powerful.
Infected men like the smell of cat urine (when compared to other animal urine). Again aiming back to the cat.
Infected women to not like the smell of cat urine.
Infected males might have elevated testosterone levels.
Women shown images of infected men rated them more masculine than images of uninfected men.
Other examples in nature
• The Rabies virus is another example of how nature finds a way to survive. On the verge of killing a dog, bat, or other warm-blooded host, the rabies virus rattles the animal into a rage while at the same time moving from the nervous system to the creature's saliva, thereby making sure that when the host bites, the virus will live on in a new carrier.
• It is common to hear of insects as victims of parasitic mind control - mostly ants, caterpillars, and wasps. When infected by parasites, a lot of them behave weirdly as a result.
• "There is a parasitic wasp that grabs hold of an orb spider and attaches a tiny egg to its belly. A wormlike larva emerges from the egg, and then releases chemicals that prompt the spider to abandon weaving the familiar spiral web and instead spin its silk thread into a special pattern that will hold the cocoon in which the larva matures. The possessed spider even crochets a specific geometric design in the net, camouflaging the cocoon from the wasp's predators." Amazing.
• "A flatworm turns an ant into its slave by invading the ant's nervous system. A drop in temp normally causes ants to head underground, but the infected insect instead climbs to the top of a blade of grass and clamps down on it, becoming easy prey for a grazing sheep. The sheep grazes on the grass and eats the ant; the worm gains entrance into the gut which is exactly where it needs to be in order to complete its circle of life." This story was the first of its kind heard by Flegr.
Positive Potential Medical Research
This research could lead to studies in how to deal with PTSD, anxiety and phobias - by figuring out how the parasite makes a person less fearful.
How can we prevent them?
During the time that your outdoor cat is just learning to hunt, just assume that the parasite is in the cat. Keep everything clean, scrub your vegetables well and drink purified water. Eat meat on the well-done side, or freeze it to kill the parasites.
And just how do we get rid of them?
Currently, there are no traditional medical solutions to an infection of this parasite. We are only now coming to terms with the fact that a solution is needed because of the size and prevalence of the infections. Dr. Hulda Clark has a theory that parasites are the cause of all diseases. After reading this article, it seems clear she was on to something. She created a device to eliminate parasites - called a zapper. She also provides the frequencies to use to eliminate them.
Parasites Toxoplasma (human strain)
0.68, 0.90, 2.50, 5.50, 13.93, 93.50, 386.40, 388.00, 395.00, 422.00
While not FDA approved for this application, this device is available. No claims can be made, but if you know you have the problem - and you can test for the parasite - it might be worth trying. It is much better than a case of schizophrenia.