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