[Effects of a latent Toxoplasma infection on the learning ability in white laboratory rats and mice (author's...

1. Both white laboratory rats and white laboratory mice had a diminished learning capacity in connection with a latent Toxoplasma infection. 2. Five infected couples of rats out of 12 pairs were not able to learn their task by the double-training program in a given period of time. A second group of five rats was able to learn this program but later than the noninfected control-group of brothers and sisters did. 3. Mice seem to be more damaged by Toxoplasma infections than rats in their learning capacity. All infected mice did not reach the same ability than their control brothers and sisters. The reason for this differences could reflect the higher infection rate of the brain of mice than rats during the latent phase of infection.