Toxoplasma gondii: possible mediator of behavioral changes in humans

Abstract

The objective of this study was to conduct a literature review on the role of T. gondii in mediating behavioral changes in humans. T. gondii is an intracellular protozoan responsible for the infection of different species of birds and mammals, including humans. The felids are the only definitive hosts of this parasite, and domestic cats are considered the main representatives in the maintenance of the cycle of this protozoan in an urban environment. Infection in humans can occur through ingestion of tissue cysts present in raw meat, ingestion of sporulated or congenital oocysts. Different studies attributed to T. gondii the ability to mediate behavioral changes in animals and humans. In studies with infected humans, personality changes and reduction of response time to environmental stimuli were observed. Although many studies point to the existence of behavioral changes mediated by T. gondii in humans, such inferences are not yet fully understood, and further research is needed with methodologies that allow definitive conclusions on the subject.