FEBRUARY 2015
EXTRAS
Craaaazy Scientific Fields—NEUROPARASITOLOGY
By Julie Kong
Have you ever heard about Toxoplasma gondii? It’s a cat-spawned parasite that dramatically influences both human and rodent behavior. It often causes a disease called toxoplasmosis, which can bring extreme damage to people with weak immune systems. The parasite sticks to the organism’s brain so it hugely alters the host’s behavior. For pregnant women, symptoms may include: miscarriage, baby with abnormal sizes of heads, or even baby with brain and eye damages. Yikes.
This parasite might sound disturbing to some, but there is a scientific field that focuses entirely on these gory bloodsuckers—neuroparasitology. Scientists and researchers in this field of science study parasites that inhabit the brain and diagnose symptoms of infection. They also figure out how they work, so ultimately, they can create treatments for every mind-invader. Pretty amazing, isn’t it?
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