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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 23, 2026

Cercarial Transformation and in vitro Cultivation of Schistosoma mansoni Schistosomules
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Does schistosome infection affect behavior through the gut-brain axis?

Leigh Combrink1, Johannie M Spaan2, Alexis Perret3

  • 1School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States of America.

Plos Neglected Tropical Diseases
|June 12, 2025
PubMed
Summary

Schistosome infection in mice altered anxiety, spatial learning, and memory. Gut microbiome changes were observed, though not directly linked to behavioral shifts, suggesting complex interactions.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Microbiology
  • Parasitology
  • Global Health

Background:

  • Helminth infections affect over 2 billion people, particularly those in poverty, impacting development through cognitive and behavioral changes.
  • These changes may stem from the parasite itself or gut dysbiosis influencing the gut-brain axis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the behavioral and cognitive effects of schistosome infection in a mouse model.
  • To analyze changes in the gut microbiome composition following schistosome infection.

Main Methods:

  • Two cohorts of female mice were infected with schistosomes or sham-exposed.
  • Behavioral tests included open field, Morris water maze, novel object recognition, and marble burying.
  • Fecal samples were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing at two time points during chronic infection.

Main Results:

  • Schistosome-infected mice exhibited increased anxiety, impaired spatial learning, and enhanced memory retention.
  • Significant alterations in gut microbiome beta diversity and specific taxa (e.g., increased Alistipes, decreased Turicibacter) were observed.
  • Microbiome shifts were associated with conditions typically linked to protective effects, suggesting a potential beneficial role.

Conclusions:

  • Schistosome infection induces significant behavioral and cognitive alterations in mice.
  • The study highlights the complex interplay between helminth infection, host behavior, and gut microbiome dynamics.
  • Findings contribute to understanding the impact of parasitic infections on host health and may inform future global health strategies.