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Decrease of psychomotor performance in subjects with latent 'asymptomatic' toxoplasmosis.

J Havlícek1, Z G Gasová, A P Smith

  • 1Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.

Parasitology
|June 8, 2001
PubMed
Summary
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Latent toxoplasmosis, an infection by Toxoplasma gondii, significantly slows human reaction times. This study suggests cumulative effects of infection, not acute illness, impair psychomotor performance, potentially aiding parasite transmission.

Area of Science:

  • Behavioral Neuroscience
  • Parasitology
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite known to alter host behavior.
  • Behavioral changes in intermediate hosts are hypothesized to increase transmission to definitive hosts (cats).
  • Previous studies observed altered behavior, including increased reaction times, in infected rodents.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of latent toxoplasmosis on human psychomotor performance.
  • To determine if infection duration correlates with changes in reaction time.
  • To explore the evolutionary implications of parasite-induced behavioral modifications in humans.

Main Methods:

  • A double-blind study design was employed.
  • Reaction times were measured in 60 subjects with latent toxoplasmosis.

Related Experiment Videos

  • A control group of 56 uninfected individuals was included for comparison.

    • Main Results:

    • Subjects with latent toxoplasmosis exhibited significantly longer reaction times compared to controls.
    • A positive correlation was found between the duration of infection and mean reaction time.
    • These findings suggest cumulative, rather than acute, effects of infection impair performance.

    Conclusions:

    • Latent toxoplasmosis demonstrably impairs human psychomotor performance by increasing reaction time.
    • The slow, cumulative effects of infection are implicated in this behavioral change.
    • This study provides evidence for parasite-induced behavioral adaptation in humans, potentially influencing transmission dynamics.