Toxoplasma (mycoplasma) infection in rats confuses male rats into "becoming catfood"

[Annikki]

I know with the scrutiny upon us, I should take more time to make the thread title sound more plausible; the problem is that this is actually true.

A study found that male rats which are infected with toxoplasma gondii (mycoplasma) find the scent of cat urine alluring- very alluring. Male rats have the same center of their brain lit up in response to cat urine which lights up in response to the presence of a female rat when infected with mycoplasma.

The interesting thing about this study in the ME/CFS community is that it shows toxoplasma gondii to have a direct effect on the brain. I'd love the particulars on how and why mycoplasma does this.

Parasite Uses the Power of Attraction to Trick Rats Into Becoming Cat Food

ScienceDaily (Aug. 20, 2011) When a male rat senses the presence of a fetching female rat, a certain region of his brain lights up with neural activity, in anticipation of romance. Now Stanford University researchers have discovered that in male rats infected with the parasite Toxoplasma, the same region responds just as strongly to the odor of cat urine...

I thought I'd share this too. I'll state for the record that I think in no way does this information support the "amygdala retraining" camp.

...But the details of how the little single-celled protozoan Toxoplasma, about a hundredth of a millimeter long, exerts control over the far more sophisticated rat have been a mystery.

Sapolsky's group previously determined that although the parasite infects the entire brain, it shows a preference for a region of the brain called the amygdala, which is associated with various emotional states. Once in the brain, the parasite forms cysts around itself, in which it essentially lies dormant.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110819141519.htm

 

[Francelle]

If I am not mistaken the various Mycoplasma (mollicutes) are not the same as Toxoplasma gondii (protozoa).

 

[Annikki]

Sorry, you are right- I'm incorrect. I read something else which I think was about both and got them confused.