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Toxoplasma gondii & Human Phenotype

Compendium of Known Effects and Ongoing Research

altered behavior

Latent toxoplasmosis aggravates anxiety- and depressive-like behaviour and suggest a role of gene-environment interactions in the behavioural response to the parasite

February 4, 2020
Bay-Richter, C., Petersen, E., Liebenberg, N., Elfving, B., Wegener, G.
Behavioural Brain Research 2019, 364: 133 - 139
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Toxoplasma gondii (TOX) is an intracellular parasite which infects warm-blooded animals including humans. An increasing number of clinical studies now hypothesize that latent toxoplasmosis may be a risk factor for the development of psychiatric disease. For depression, the results have been varied and we speculate that genetic background is important for the response to latent toxoplasmosis. The main objective of this study was to elucidate gene - environment interactions in the behavioural response to TOX infection by use of genetically vulnerable animals (Flinders sensitive line, FSL) compared to control animals (Flinders resistant line, FRL). Our results show that all infected animals displayed increased anxiety-like behaviour whereas only genetically vulnerable animals (FSL rats) showed depressive-like behaviour as a consequence of the TOX infection. Furthermore, peripheral cytokine expression was increased following the infection, primarily independent of strain. In the given study 14 cytokines, chemokines, metabolic hormones, and growth factors were quantified with the bead-based Luminex200 system, however, only IL-1 alpha expression was affected differently in FSL animals compared to FRL rats. These results suggest that latent TOX infection can induce anxiety-like behaviour independent of genetic background. Intriguingly, we also report that for depressive-like behaviour only the vulnerable rat strain is affected. This could explain the discrepancy in the literature as to whether TOX infection is a risk factor for depressive symptomatology. We propose that the low grade inflammation caused by the chronic infection is related to the development of behavioural symptoms.

Tagged: altered behavior, antidepressant, anxety, cytokines, disorders, dpression, gene-environment interaction, gondii infection, induction, level, miceexpression, tests, Toxoplasma gondii

Mental health

Toxoplasma gondii infection, from predation to schizophrenia: can animal behaviour help us understand human behaviour?

January 4, 2013
Webster, J. P., Kaushik, M., Bristow, G. C., McConkey, G. A.
Journal of Experimental Biology 2013; 216: 99-112
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We examine the role of the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii as a manipulatory parasite and question what role study of infections in its natural intermediate rodent hosts and other secondary hosts, including humans, may elucidate in terms of the epidemiology, evolution and clinical applications of infection. In particular, we focus on the potential association between T. gondii and schizophrenia. We introduce the novel term 'T. gondii-rat manipulation-schizophrenia model' and propose how future behavioural research on this model should be performed from a biological, clinical and ethically appropriate perspective.

Tagged: 3rs, altered behavior, behaviour, by-product, card sorting test, dopamine hypothesis, elevated plus-maze, intermediate host, male norway rats, manipulation., mouse, nmda receptor hypofunction, obsessive-compulsive disorder, pathology, rat, rattus-norvegicus, recognition memory, schistosoma-mansoni, Schizophrenia, secondary host, Toxoplasma gondii

BehaviorMental healthReviews

Parasitic manipulation: where are we and where should we go?

January 5, 2005
Thomas, F., Adamo, S., Moore, J.
Behavioural Processes 2005; 68: 185-199
Tagged: adaptive-changes, altered behavior, fresh-water snail, host behavior, intermediate host, larval helminths, pomphorhynchus-laevis acanthocephala, reproductive effort, schistosoma-mansoni, Toxoplasma gondii

BehaviorReviews

Topics

  • Behavior 105
  • Cognitive functions 64
  • Mental health 439
  • Morphology 6
  • Motor functions 10
  • Personality 36
  • Physical health 134
  • Reproduction 36
  • Reviews 40
  • Sensory functions 3
  • Uncategorized 2

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Recent articles

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  • The Association between Toxoplasma gondii Infection and Risk of Parkinson’s Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis February 6, 2020

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