3 ms·

Grey wolves infected with this parasite are more likely to become pack leaders

4 points by kungfudoi 4y ago

Trouble_007 4y ago
Toxoplasma gondii : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxoplasma_gondii https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxoplasma_gondii Risk factors for human infection : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxoplasma_gondii#Immune_response_and_behavior_alterations https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxoplasma_gondii#Immune_respo...
codexjourneys 4y ago
This is really cool and echoes earlier human studies that found Toxoplasma infection "may make people look more attractive to the opposite sex": https://www.earth.com/news/parasite-makes-infected-people-look-more-attractive/ https://www.earth.com/news/parasite-makes-infected-people-lo... Is this because it increases risk-taking behavior? Who knows, but it's interesting that something with potentially significant health drawbacks may have enough benefits that it's evolved to coexist with us (up to 50% of people carry it).
nyc111 4y ago
This particular parasite has the effect described in the article. But our gut is full of other species of so-called "parasites" who live in harmony with the host. Human body is a symbiotic organism. So, if this parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, is capable of altering or defining the behavior of the host, can we generalize this observation and say that human behavior is defined by parasites and symbiotic organisms living in the gut?
- codexjourneys 4y ago
  I think we may be able to say that someday, the science is new and evolving but it looks like microbes shape our behavior (edit: and emotional health): https://www.science.org/content/article/evidence-mounts-gut-bacteria-can-influence-mood-prevent-depression https://www.science.org/content/article/evidence-mounts-gut-...
the_af 4y ago
"More likely to become pack leaders" simply means "more likely to leave and start their own family", right? Current understanding of wolf behavior is that the "packs" are actually the wolf's direct family, i.e. its breeding partner, their cubs, and their young adult offspring. So the "leader" is simply the father. So is this piece of news saying a (young) adult wolf in a family, if infected with the parasite, is more likely to leave his current family to start a new one?

4 points by kungfudoi 4y ago

Toxoplasma gondii : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxoplasma_gondii https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxoplasma_gondii Risk factors for human infection : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxoplasma_gondii#Immune_response_and_behavior_alterations https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxoplasma_gondii#Immune_respo...

codexjourneys 4y ago

This is really cool and echoes earlier human studies that found Toxoplasma infection "may make people look more attractive to the opposite sex": https://www.earth.com/news/parasite-makes-infected-people-look-more-attractive/ https://www.earth.com/news/parasite-makes-infected-people-lo... Is this because it increases risk-taking behavior? Who knows, but it's interesting that something with potentially significant health drawbacks may have enough benefits that it's evolved to coexist with us (up to 50% of people carry it).

nyc111 4y ago

This particular parasite has the effect described in the article. But our gut is full of other species of so-called "parasites" who live in harmony with the host. Human body is a symbiotic organism. So, if this parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, is capable of altering or defining the behavior of the host, can we generalize this observation and say that human behavior is defined by parasites and symbiotic organisms living in the gut?

codexjourneys 4y ago
I think we may be able to say that someday, the science is new and evolving but it looks like microbes shape our behavior (edit: and emotional health): https://www.science.org/content/article/evidence-mounts-gut-bacteria-can-influence-mood-prevent-depression https://www.science.org/content/article/evidence-mounts-gut-...

the_af 4y ago

"More likely to become pack leaders" simply means "more likely to leave and start their own family", right? Current understanding of wolf behavior is that the "packs" are actually the wolf's direct family, i.e. its breeding partner, their cubs, and their young adult offspring. So the "leader" is simply the father. So is this piece of news saying a (young) adult wolf in a family, if infected with the parasite, is more likely to leave his current family to start a new one?