3 ms·

2 billion people already have the Toxoplasma gondii in their brains. If it were to affect humanity is some profound way, we would have already linked it to some

by frontman1988 4y ago

2 billion people already have the Toxoplasma gondii in their brains. If it were to affect humanity is some profound way, we would have already linked it to something more substantial than n=197 studies of correlating success in entrepreneurship to the virus.

enkid 4y ago
That's not how science works.
jjallen 4y ago
This may very well be true. I wish you had posted more of a direct criticism of the study in question other than its small sample size. It may have had a similar control group and could be relevant. It could be that individuals with more of the parasite are more likely to become entrepreneurs still.
TheBigSalad 4y ago
Good point. We should stop studying it because we should have known by now.
ajmurmann 4y ago
There are other studies that link Toxoplasmosis to increased risk taking. Here one on increased likelihood of getting into car accidents: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC117239/#__ffn_sectitle https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC117239/#__ffn_s.... It's widely known for many years now. Twenty years ago there was a huge report about it on German public radio. The article I looked references research from the seventies. It's been a strange philosophical point to me that catching a parasite that really wants to be in your cat can alter your personality and unless you are a pregnant woman the medical system ignores it.
- msrenee 4y ago
  What's the medical system going to do about a parasite that often doesn't cause any symptoms that can pinpoint the particular pathogen? Most healthy people clear the infection without ever knowing anything happened. We don't have any way to undo whatever the parasite did while it was active. It's probably possible to create a vaccine, but the full impact in humans is still being explored and a vaccine for a pathogen that's been with us mostly unnoticed since cats have been with us isn't a high priority. I'd also say decades of research into the effects of T. gondii is explicitly not the medical system ignoring it. It's the medical system being aware of it, but there aren't any great solutions at this point. I'd also like to point out the difference between difficult to define risk-taking behavior in adults vs. miscarriage, blindness, neurological issues, and hydrocephalus among other risks to a fetus.
  - ajmurmann 4y ago
    I definitely don't have a clear answer here either. It's just a interesting thing to think about. It's very common and can change you or your loved ones personality. However, reviving it of course would also changed your personality. I've noticed recently that I've gotten much more risk-averse than I used to be and think it might be bad. Maybe I should get toxoplasmosis on purpose? Really creates a lot of questions about "self".
    - msrenee 4y ago
      If T. gondii has you questioning the existence of free will, you should (or maybe shouldn't) look into how your gut microbiota affect your mental processes. We're less individuals and more systems of millions of different critters.
      - ajmurmann 4y ago
        Thanks! I've already down that and many similar rabbit holes and am entirely puzzled about self, sentients and existence :)
wpietri 4y ago
That's a pretty bold take from somebody who thinks it's a virus and not a single-celled parasite. But then as Charles Darwin said, "ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge."

enkid 4y ago

That's not how science works.

jjallen 4y ago

This may very well be true. I wish you had posted more of a direct criticism of the study in question other than its small sample size. It may have had a similar control group and could be relevant. It could be that individuals with more of the parasite are more likely to become entrepreneurs still.

TheBigSalad 4y ago

Good point. We should stop studying it because we should have known by now.

ajmurmann 4y ago

There are other studies that link Toxoplasmosis to increased risk taking. Here one on increased likelihood of getting into car accidents: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC117239/#__ffn_sectitle https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC117239/#__ffn_s.... It's widely known for many years now. Twenty years ago there was a huge report about it on German public radio. The article I looked references research from the seventies. It's been a strange philosophical point to me that catching a parasite that really wants to be in your cat can alter your personality and unless you are a pregnant woman the medical system ignores it.

msrenee 4y ago
What's the medical system going to do about a parasite that often doesn't cause any symptoms that can pinpoint the particular pathogen? Most healthy people clear the infection without ever knowing anything happened. We don't have any way to undo whatever the parasite did while it was active. It's probably possible to create a vaccine, but the full impact in humans is still being explored and a vaccine for a pathogen that's been with us mostly unnoticed since cats have been with us isn't a high priority. I'd also say decades of research into the effects of T. gondii is explicitly not the medical system ignoring it. It's the medical system being aware of it, but there aren't any great solutions at this point. I'd also like to point out the difference between difficult to define risk-taking behavior in adults vs. miscarriage, blindness, neurological issues, and hydrocephalus among other risks to a fetus.
- ajmurmann 4y ago
  I definitely don't have a clear answer here either. It's just a interesting thing to think about. It's very common and can change you or your loved ones personality. However, reviving it of course would also changed your personality. I've noticed recently that I've gotten much more risk-averse than I used to be and think it might be bad. Maybe I should get toxoplasmosis on purpose? Really creates a lot of questions about "self".
  - msrenee 4y ago
    If T. gondii has you questioning the existence of free will, you should (or maybe shouldn't) look into how your gut microbiota affect your mental processes. We're less individuals and more systems of millions of different critters.
    - ajmurmann 4y ago
      Thanks! I've already down that and many similar rabbit holes and am entirely puzzled about self, sentients and existence :)

wpietri 4y ago

That's a pretty bold take from somebody who thinks it's a virus and not a single-celled parasite. But then as Charles Darwin said, "ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge."