So there's this nun who is in trouble.
The reason is even stranger.
Why would an elderly nun in her 60's who took a vow of poverty suddenly undergo a radical shift in behaviour?
It might be due to a brain change.
There's a neurotransmitter called dopamine that is involved with gambling and compulsivity. Increase it, and people suddenly become very different.
The hallmarks of the pattern would include behavioural change, often diametrically different from before. Impaired judgement, increased risk taking.
Other than treatment for Parkinson's Disease, there is a brain parasite that can do this: Toxoplasma.
This helps the parasite to jump from one host to another, as the cats become infected. If the mice are treated with an antipsychotic drug their behaviour reverts to normal.
They are nutty mice.
Toxoplasmosis is widespread in a number of countries, in humans. It's prevalent where there are - you guessed it- a lot of cats. The disease is chronic and not a problem till immune system declines occur. Like with ageing. This nun developed her behaviour at age 66, and I'll bet you a doughnut that A) she kept cats or B) she's on L-Dopa for Parkinson's developed in her 60's.
Can Toxoplasmosis change say, attitudes to fatal illnesses and vaccination in the same way as the mice to cats?
Comparing the maps of vaccine hesitancy to the seroprevalence of Toxoplasmosis ( you can tell I am unemployed NOW
) there is only overlap in the country of France. Africa is ridden with Toxoplasmosis, and so is India- but those large continental sized areas do not exhibit vaccine hesitancy.
Strange, no?
The reason is even stranger.
Why would an elderly nun in her 60's who took a vow of poverty suddenly undergo a radical shift in behaviour?
It might be due to a brain change.
There's a neurotransmitter called dopamine that is involved with gambling and compulsivity. Increase it, and people suddenly become very different.
The hallmarks of the pattern would include behavioural change, often diametrically different from before. Impaired judgement, increased risk taking.
Other than treatment for Parkinson's Disease, there is a brain parasite that can do this: Toxoplasma.
Infected mice lose their natural fear of cats. They start "gambling" with their lives.
This helps the parasite to jump from one host to another, as the cats become infected. If the mice are treated with an antipsychotic drug their behaviour reverts to normal.
They are nutty mice.
Toxoplasmosis is widespread in a number of countries, in humans. It's prevalent where there are - you guessed it- a lot of cats. The disease is chronic and not a problem till immune system declines occur. Like with ageing. This nun developed her behaviour at age 66, and I'll bet you a doughnut that A) she kept cats or B) she's on L-Dopa for Parkinson's developed in her 60's.
Can Toxoplasmosis change say, attitudes to fatal illnesses and vaccination in the same way as the mice to cats?
Comparing the maps of vaccine hesitancy to the seroprevalence of Toxoplasmosis ( you can tell I am unemployed NOW
) there is only overlap in the country of France. Africa is ridden with Toxoplasmosis, and so is India- but those large continental sized areas do not exhibit vaccine hesitancy.