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Zerekidze A, Li M, Refisch A, Shameya J, Sobanski T, Walter M, Wagner G. Impact of Toxoplasma gondii and Human Microbiome on Suicidal Behavior: A Systematic Review. J Clin Med 2024; 13:593. [PMID: 38276099 PMCID: PMC10816148 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13020593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Suicide remains a persistent global health challenge, resisting widespread prevention efforts. According to previous findings, toxoplasmosis is particularly associated with altered decision making, which could lead to risk-taking behavior, thereby increasing the likelihood for suicidal behavior (SB). In addition, discussion about the role of microbiome in psychiatric disorders has emerged lately, which also makes it relevant to investigate its role in the context of SB. Therefore, two systematic reviews are integrated in this paper, and the existing knowledge is comprehensively summarized regarding the association between microbial pathogens and SB. METHODS We conducted a systematic search with keywords including SB and Toxoplasma gondii (Suicid* AND Toxoplasm*) and microbiome (Suicid* AND Microbiome AND Microbiota) throughout PubMed and Scopus to retrieve related studies up to 9 November 2023, identifying 24 eligible records. The subjects of the included studies had to have fulfilled the criteria of an SB disorder as defined by DSM-5, and death cases needed to have been defined as suicide. RESULTS Most studies reported significant association between toxoplasmosis and SB, suggesting a higher likelihood of SB in the infected population. Regarding the microbiome, only very few studies investigated an association between SB and alterations in the microbiome. Based on six included studies, there were some indications of a link between changes in the microbiome and SB. CONCLUSION The cognitive aspects of decision making in T. gondii-infected individuals with SB should be further investigated to unravel the underlying mechanisms. Further sufficiently powered studies are needed to establish a link between SB and alterations in the microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ani Zerekidze
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena Center for Mental Health, Jena University Hospital, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Meng Li
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena Center for Mental Health, Jena University Hospital, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Circuits Underlying Mental Health (C-I-R-C), Jena-Magdeburg-Halle, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Alexander Refisch
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena Center for Mental Health, Jena University Hospital, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Circuits Underlying Mental Health (C-I-R-C), Jena-Magdeburg-Halle, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Justina Shameya
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena Center for Mental Health, Jena University Hospital, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Thomas Sobanski
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Center for Mental Health, Thueringen-Kliniken “Georgius Agricola”, 07318 Saalfeld, Germany;
| | - Martin Walter
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena Center for Mental Health, Jena University Hospital, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Circuits Underlying Mental Health (C-I-R-C), Jena-Magdeburg-Halle, 07743 Jena, Germany
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Partner Site Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Gerd Wagner
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena Center for Mental Health, Jena University Hospital, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Circuits Underlying Mental Health (C-I-R-C), Jena-Magdeburg-Halle, 07743 Jena, Germany
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2
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Grochow T, Beck B, Rentería-Solís Z, Schares G, Maksimov P, Strube C, Raqué L, Kacza J, Daugschies A, Fietz SA. Reduced neural progenitor cell count and cortical neurogenesis in guinea pigs congenitally infected with Toxoplasma gondii. Commun Biol 2023; 6:1209. [PMID: 38012384 PMCID: PMC10682419 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05576-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma (T.) gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite with a worldwide distribution. Congenital infection can lead to severe pathological alterations in the brain. To examine the effects of toxoplasmosis in the fetal brain, pregnant guinea pigs are infected with T. gondii oocysts on gestation day 23 and dissected 10, 17 and 25 days afterwards. We show the neocortex to represent a target region of T. gondii and the parasite to infect neural progenitor cells (NPCs), neurons and astrocytes in the fetal brain. Importantly, we observe a significant reduction in neuron number at end-neurogenesis and find a marked reduction in NPC count, indicating that impaired neurogenesis underlies the neuronal decrease in infected fetuses. Moreover, we observe focal microglioses to be associated with T. gondii in the fetal brain. Our findings expand the understanding of the pathophysiology of congenital toxoplasmosis, especially contributing to the development of cortical malformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Grochow
- Institute of Veterinary Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Britta Beck
- Institute of Veterinary Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Zaida Rentería-Solís
- Institute of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Gereon Schares
- National Reference Laboratory for Toxoplasmosis, Institute of Epidemiology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Pavlo Maksimov
- National Reference Laboratory for Toxoplasmosis, Institute of Epidemiology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Christina Strube
- Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Lisa Raqué
- Veterinary practice Raqué, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Johannes Kacza
- BioImaging Core Facility, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Arwid Daugschies
- Institute of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Simone A Fietz
- Institute of Veterinary Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany.
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3
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Mendoza-Larios LA, García-Dolores F, Sánchez-Anguiano LF, Antuna-Salcido EI, Hernández-Tinoco J, Rocha-Salais A, Segoviano-Mendoza MA, Sifuentes-Álvarez A, Alvarado-Esquivel C. Toxoplasma gondii infection of the central nervous system and suicide: A case-control study of decedents. Eur J Microbiol Immunol (Bp) 2023; 13:77-82. [PMID: 37982867 PMCID: PMC10668923 DOI: 10.1556/1886.2023.00033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023] Open
Abstract
We sought to determine the association between Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection of the central nervous system and suicide in a sample of decedents in Mexico City. One hundred and forty-seven decedents (87 who committed suicide and 60 who did not commit suicide) were studied. Brain tissues (amygdala and prefrontal cortex) of decedents were examined for the detection of T. gondii using immunohistochemistry. Detection of T. gondii was positive in 7 (8.0%) of the 87 cases (6 found in prefrontal cortex and one in amygdala), and in one (1.7%) of the 60 controls (found in prefrontal cortex) (OR: 5.16; 95% CI: 0.61-43.10; P = 0.14). Results suggest that T. gondii infection in brain is not associated with suicide. Further studies to confirm this finding are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Alejandra Mendoza-Larios
- Instituto de Ciencias Forenses de la Ciudad de México, Avenida Niños Héroes 130, Colonia Doctores, Delegación Cuauhtémoc, 06720 Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Fernando García-Dolores
- Instituto de Ciencias Forenses de la Ciudad de México, Avenida Niños Héroes 130, Colonia Doctores, Delegación Cuauhtémoc, 06720 Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Luis Francisco Sánchez-Anguiano
- Biomedical Research Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Nutrition, Juárez University of Durango State, Avenida Universidad S/N. 34000 Durango, Mexico
| | - Elizabeth Irasema Antuna-Salcido
- Institute for Scientific Research “Dr. Roberto Rivera Damm”, Juárez University of Durango State, Avenida Universidad S/N, 34000 Durango, Mexico
| | - Jesús Hernández-Tinoco
- Biomedical Research Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Nutrition, Juárez University of Durango State, Avenida Universidad S/N. 34000 Durango, Mexico
| | - Adriana Rocha-Salais
- Biomedical Research Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Nutrition, Juárez University of Durango State, Avenida Universidad S/N. 34000 Durango, Mexico
| | - Marcela Araceli Segoviano-Mendoza
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Nutrition, Juárez University of Durango State, Avenida Universidad S/N. 34000 Durango, Mexico
| | - Antonio Sifuentes-Álvarez
- Biomedical Research Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Nutrition, Juárez University of Durango State, Avenida Universidad S/N. 34000 Durango, Mexico
| | - Cosme Alvarado-Esquivel
- Biomedical Research Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Nutrition, Juárez University of Durango State, Avenida Universidad S/N. 34000 Durango, Mexico
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4
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Hegazy MK, Saleh NE, Aboukamar WA. Detection of chronic toxoplasmosis in the brain of mice using loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and conventional PCR. Exp Parasitol 2023:108556. [PMID: 37247801 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2023.108556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Toxoplasma gondii is a common protozoan parasite that infects approximately one-third of the world's population. It is a disease with multiple manifestations. In immunocompetent individuals, symptoms are mild and flu-like, whereas, in immunocompromised patients, it often results in severe morbidity and mortality. Thus, studies for developing a simple, rapid diagnostic tool for early detection of Toxoplasma are emerging. Molecular diagnosis is highly accurate and helpful in congenitally infected and immunocompromised patients. The loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technique was invented to improve nucleic acid amplification efficacy in terms of sensitivity and specificity. AIM OF THE STUDY The study aimed to validate a LAMP protocol for detecting Toxoplasma DNA in the brain homogenates from mice experimentally infected with Toxoplasma's ME-49 (cyst-forming type II) strain in comparison to PCR. METHODS In this study, the target DNA fragment was the Toxoplasma 529-bp, repeated 200-300 copies/genome. The sensitivity of both LAMP and conventional PCR techniques was estimated in brain homogenates in experimental mice at eight weeks post-infection and compared to the histopathology data. RESULTS The LAMP reaction showed positive results in 18 of the 26 examined samples of brain homogenates. PCR showed the characteristic 529-bp band in 15 of the 26 examined samples. CONCLUSION The LAMP showed a higher sensitivity over PCR in detecting Toxoplasma infection in brain homogenates of infected mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona K Hegazy
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
| | - Nora E Saleh
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Wafaa A Aboukamar
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
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5
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Tedford E, Badya NB, Laing C, Asaoka N, Kaneko S, Filippi BM, McConkey GA. Infection-induced extracellular vesicles evoke neuronal transcriptional and epigenetic changes. Sci Rep 2023; 13:6913. [PMID: 37106020 PMCID: PMC10140046 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-34074-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Infection with the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii induces changes in neurotransmission, neuroinflammation, and behavior, yet it remains elusive how these changes come about. In this study we investigated how norepinephrine levels are altered by infection. TINEV (Toxoplasma-induced neuronal extracellular vesicles) isolated from infected noradrenergic cells down-regulated dopamine ß-hydroxylase (DBH) gene expression in human and rodent cells. Here we report that intracerebral injection of TINEVs into the brain is sufficient to induce DBH down-regulation and distrupt catecholaminergic signalling. Further, TINEV treatment induced hypermethylation upstream of the DBH gene. An antisense lncRNA to DBH was found in purified TINEV preparations. Paracrine signalling to induce transcriptional gene silencing and DNA methylation may be a common mode to regulate neurologic function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Tedford
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Norhidayah Binti Badya
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Conor Laing
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Nozomi Asaoka
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, 46-29 Yoshida-Shimoadachi-Cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan
| | - Shuji Kaneko
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, 46-29 Yoshida-Shimoadachi-Cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan
| | - Beatrice Maria Filippi
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Glenn Alan McConkey
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK.
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Alvarado-Esquivel C, Estrada-Martínez S, Beristain-Garcia I, Ramos-Nevárez A, Ibarra-Segovia M, Guido-Arreola CA, Sáenz-Soto L, Sifuentes-Álvarez A. Toxoplasma gondii Infection and Alcohol Consumption: An Age-and Gender-Matched Case-Control Seroprevalence Study. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 52:862-864. [PMID: 37551183 PMCID: PMC10404317 DOI: 10.18502/ijph.v52i4.12462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
The Article Abstract is not available.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sergio Estrada-Martínez
- Institute for Scientific Research “Dr. Roberto Rivera Damm”, Juárez University of Durango State, Durango, Mexico
| | | | - Agar Ramos-Nevárez
- Clinic of Family Medicine, Institute of Security and Social Services of the State Workers, Durango, Mexico
| | | | | | - Leandro Sáenz-Soto
- Clinic of Family Medicine, Institute of Security and Social Services of the State Workers, Durango, Mexico
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7
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Nessim J, Luna-Ramirez JC, Moreno-Gómez GA, Galvis-Soto DM, Gomez-Marin JE. Estimations of the number people with mental diseases associated with toxoplasmosis and identification of risk factors by continent. Psychiatry Res 2023; 323:115130. [PMID: 36913872 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/15/2023]
Abstract
Strong evidence exists based on metanalysis of the relationship between toxoplasmosis and many psychiatric diseases: schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and suicidal behavior. Herein, we estimate the number of cases based on the attributable fraction due to toxoplasmosis on these diseases. The population attributable fraction of mental disease associated with toxoplasmosis was 20,4% for schizophrenia; 27,3% for bipolar disorder; and 0,29% for suicidal behavior (self-harm). The lower and upper estimated number of people with mental disease associated with toxoplasmosis was 4'816.491 and 5'564.407 for schizophrenia; 6'348.946 and 7'510.118,82 for bipolar disorder; and 24.310 and 28.151 for self-harm; for a global total lower estimated number of 11'189.748 and global total upper estimated number of 13'102.678 people with mental disease associated with toxoplasmosis for the year 2019. According to the prediction through the Bayesian model of risk factors for toxoplasmosis associated with mental disease, these varied in importance geographically; thus, in Africa, the most important risk factor was water contamination and in the European region, the cooking conditions of meats. Toxoplasmosis and mental health should be a research priority given the enormous potential impact of reducing this parasite in the general population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Nessim
- Molecular Parasitology Group (GEPAMOL, for the term in Spanish), Biomedical Research Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad del Quindío, Armenia, Colombia
| | | | | | | | - Jorge E Gomez-Marin
- Molecular Parasitology Group (GEPAMOL, for the term in Spanish), Biomedical Research Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad del Quindío, Armenia, Colombia.
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8
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Yao N, Wei Z, Wang Y, Sun L. Associations between Drinking Behaviors and Meaning in Life: Evidence from Primary Care Professionals in China. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14224811. [PMID: 36432499 PMCID: PMC9694648 DOI: 10.3390/nu14224811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Although the associations between drinking behaviors and emotional problems have been supported in several previous studies, the associations between drinking behaviors and meaning in life have not been explored until now. We aimed to test the associations between drinking behaviors and meaning in life among primary care professionals, after controlling for depression. (2) Methods: In the current study, we collected 1453 valid questionnaires based on a cross-sectional design. Meaning in life, drinking behaviors, physical diseases, depression, work-related variables, and some other social-demographic variables were evaluated. (3) Results: The results support that after controlling for depression, regular milk drinking (β = 1.387, p = 0.026), and regular juice drinking (β = 2.316, p = 0.030) were associated with higher meaning in life, while regular water drinking (β = −1.448, p = 0.019) was negatively associated with meaning in life. In addition to this, the results showed that the older age (β = 0.098, p = 0.001), preventive medicine majors (β = 4.281, p = 0.013), working fewer days per week (β = −0.942, p = 0.004), licensed (assistant) technician qualification (β = 2.921, p = 0.036), and no depression (β = −0.203, p < 0.001) were positively associated with meaning in life. (4) Conclusion: This study supported the association between drinking behaviors and meaning in life, even after controlling depression. These findings imply that we can further explore this association and its mechanisms in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Yao
- Centre for Health Management and Policy Research, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
- NHC Key Lab of Health Economics and Policy Research, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Zhen Wei
- Centre for Health Management and Policy Research, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
- NHC Key Lab of Health Economics and Policy Research, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Yifan Wang
- Centre for Health Management and Policy Research, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
- NHC Key Lab of Health Economics and Policy Research, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Long Sun
- Centre for Health Management and Policy Research, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
- NHC Key Lab of Health Economics and Policy Research, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
- Correspondence:
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Segerstrom SC, Reed RG, Karr JE. Cytomegalovirus and Toxoplasma Gondii Serostatus Prospectively Correlated With Problems in Self-Regulation but not Executive Function Among Older Adults. Psychosom Med 2022; 84:603-611. [PMID: 35420585 PMCID: PMC9167754 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000001086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Toxoplasma gondii are organisms that may infect the brain and have cognitive and behavioral consequences. We hypothesized that these latent infections would be prospectively associated with poorer cognition and more problems in self-regulation among older adults. METHODS Older adults (n = 138, mean age = 75.5 years, 59% women) had CMV and T. gondii serostatus tested, crystallized intelligence estimated (North American Adult Reading Test), and executive function (EF; e.g., Trail Making Test) and self-regulation (Behavior Regulation Inventory of Executive Function-Adult) assessed in visits occurring every 6 months (mean visits = 16). RESULTS CMV+ people (79%) had significantly poorer self-regulation versus CMV- people (21%; behavioral regulation: γ = 0.108, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.009-0.206; metacognition: γ = 0.117, 95% CI = 0.005-0.229), but not intelligence or EF. T. gondii+ people (24%) were not significantly different from T. gondii- people (76%) on any outcome. However, T. gondii+ men had better self-regulation versus T. gondii- men, and the opposite was true of women (behavioral regulation interaction: γ = 0.267, 95% CI = 0.093-0.441). CONCLUSIONS CMV latent infection was associated with more problems in self-regulation, and the magnitude of this difference was clinically significant. T. gondii latent infection was associated with more problems, but only for women. Latent infection might associate with self-regulation but not EF because of factors influencing self-regulation but not neuropsychological test performance, such as values and emotion. Efforts to link latent infection with EFs might, in the future, include the application of those functions to self-regulation in daily life.
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10
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de Almeida Miranda D, Araripe J, de Morais Magalhães NG, de Siqueira LS, de Abreu CC, Pereira PDC, Henrique EP, da Silva Chira PAC, de Melo MAD, do Rêgo PS, Diniz DG, Sherry DF, Diniz CWP, Guerreiro-Diniz C. Shorebirds' Longer Migratory Distances Are Associated With Larger ADCYAP1 Microsatellites and Greater Morphological Complexity of Hippocampal Astrocytes. Front Psychol 2022; 12:784372. [PMID: 35185684 PMCID: PMC8855117 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.784372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
For the epic journey of autumn migration, long-distance migratory birds use innate and learned information and follow strict schedules imposed by genetic and epigenetic mechanisms, the details of which remain largely unknown. In addition, bird migration requires integrated action of different multisensory systems for learning and memory, and the hippocampus appears to be the integration center for this task. In previous studies we found that contrasting long-distance migratory flights differentially affected the morphological complexity of two types of hippocampus astrocytes. Recently, a significant association was found between the latitude of the reproductive site and the size of the ADCYAP1 allele in long distance migratory birds. We tested for correlations between astrocyte morphological complexity, migratory distances, and size of the ADCYAP1 allele in three long-distance migrant species of shorebird and one non-migrant. Significant differences among species were found in the number and morphological complexity of the astrocytes, as well as in the size of the microsatellites of the ADCYAP1 gene. We found significant associations between the size of the ADCYAP1 microsatellites, the migratory distances, and the degree of morphological complexity of the astrocytes. We suggest that associations between astrocyte number and morphological complexity, ADCYAP1 microsatellite size, and migratory behavior may be part of the adaptive response to the migratory process of shorebirds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego de Almeida Miranda
- Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Bragança, Brazil.,Laboratório de Genética e Conservação, Instituto de Estudos Costeiros (IECOS), Universidade Federal do Pará, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Juliana Araripe
- Laboratório de Genética e Conservação, Instituto de Estudos Costeiros (IECOS), Universidade Federal do Pará, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Nara G de Morais Magalhães
- Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Lucas Silva de Siqueira
- Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Cintya Castro de Abreu
- Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Patrick Douglas Corrêa Pereira
- Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Ediely Pereira Henrique
- Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Pedro Arthur Campos da Silva Chira
- Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Mauro A D de Melo
- Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Péricles Sena do Rêgo
- Laboratório de Genética e Conservação, Instituto de Estudos Costeiros (IECOS), Universidade Federal do Pará, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Daniel Guerreiro Diniz
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Belém, Brazil.,Laboratório de Microscopia Eletrônica, Instituto Evandro Chagas, Belém, Brazil
| | - David Francis Sherry
- Department of Psychology, Advanced Facility for Avian Research, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Cristovam W P Diniz
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Belém, Brazil
| | - Cristovam Guerreiro-Diniz
- Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Bragança, Brazil
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11
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Virus MA, Ehrhorn EG, Lui LM, Davis PH. Neurological and Neurobehavioral Disorders Associated with Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Humans. J Parasitol Res 2021; 2021:6634807. [PMID: 34712493 PMCID: PMC8548174 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6634807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii is estimated to infect up to 30% of the world population, leading to lifelong chronic infection of the brain and muscle tissue. Although most latent T. gondii infections in humans have traditionally been considered asymptomatic, studies in rodents suggest phenotypic neurological changes are possible. Consequently, several studies have examined the link between T. gondii infection and diseases such as schizophrenia, epilepsy, depression, bipolar disorder, dysphoria, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). To date, there is varying evidence of the relationship of T. gondii to these human neurological or neurobehavioral disorders. A thorough review of T. gondii literature was conducted to highlight and summarize current findings. We found that schizophrenia was most frequently linked to T. gondii infection, while sleep disruption showed no linkage to T. gondii infection, and other conditions having mixed support for a link to T. gondii. However, infection as a cause of human neurobehavioral disease has yet to be firmly established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxwell A. Virus
- Department of Biology, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Evie G. Ehrhorn
- Department of Biology, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - LeeAnna M. Lui
- Department of Biology, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Paul H. Davis
- Department of Biology, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
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12
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Correa Leite PE, de Araujo Portes J, Pereira MR, Russo FB, Martins-Duarte ES, Almeida Dos Santos N, Attias M, Barrantes FJ, Baleeiro Beltrão-Braga PC, de Souza W. Morphological and biochemical repercussions of Toxoplasma gondii infection in a 3D human brain neurospheres model. Brain Behav Immun Health 2021; 11:100190. [PMID: 34589727 PMCID: PMC8474451 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2020.100190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Toxoplasmosis is caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii that can infect the central nervous system (CNS), promoting neuroinflammation, neuronal loss, neurotransmitter imbalance and behavioral alterations. T. gondii infection is also related to neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia. The pathogenicity and inflammatory response in rodents are different to the case of humans, compromising the correlation between the behavioral alterations and physiological modifications observed in the disease. In the present work we used BrainSpheres, a 3D CNS model derived from human pluripotent stem cells (iPSC), to investigate the morphological and biochemical repercussions of T. gondii infection in human neural cells. Methods We evaluated T. gondii ME49 strain proliferation and cyst formation in both 2D cultured human neural cells and BrainSpheres. Aspects of cell morphology, ultrastructure, viability, gene expression of neural phenotype markers, as well as secretion of inflammatory mediators were evaluated for 2 and 4 weeks post infection in BrainSpheres. Results T. gondii can infect BrainSpheres, proliferating and inducing cysts formation, neural cell death, alteration in neural gene expression and triggering the release of several inflammatory mediators. Conclusions BrainSpheres reproduce many aspects of T. gondii infection in human CNS, constituting a useful model to study the neurotoxicity and neuroinflammation mediated by the parasite. In addition, these data could be important for future studies aiming at better understanding possible correlations between psychiatric disorders and human CNS infection with T. gondii. T. gondii infects, proliferates and induce cysts formation in neurospheres. T. gondii infection induces neural cell death in neurospheres. T. gondii infection promotes alteration in neural gene expression in neurospheres. T. gondii infection promotes release of inflammatory mediators in neurospheres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo Emilio Correa Leite
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho and National Center for Structural Biology and Bioimaging (CENABIO), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.,Directory of Metrology Applied to Life Sciences (Dimav), National Institute of Metrology Quality and Technology (INMETRO), Duque de Caxias, RJ, Brazil
| | - Juliana de Araujo Portes
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho and National Center for Structural Biology and Bioimaging (CENABIO), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Fabiele Baldino Russo
- Laboratory of Disease Modeling, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Erica S Martins-Duarte
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho and National Center for Structural Biology and Bioimaging (CENABIO), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.,Department of Parasitology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Nathalia Almeida Dos Santos
- Laboratory of Disease Modeling, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, London, UK
| | - Marcia Attias
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho and National Center for Structural Biology and Bioimaging (CENABIO), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Francisco J Barrantes
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Institute for Biomedical Research (BIOMED), UCA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Patricia Cristina Baleeiro Beltrão-Braga
- Laboratory of Disease Modeling, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Scientific Platform Pasteur-USP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Wanderley de Souza
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho and National Center for Structural Biology and Bioimaging (CENABIO), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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13
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Beck B, Grochow T, Schares G, Blaga R, Le Roux D, Bangoura B, Daugschies A, Fietz SA. Burden and regional distribution of Toxoplasma gondii cysts in the brain of COBB 500 broiler chickens following chronic infection with 76K strain. Vet Parasitol 2021; 296:109497. [PMID: 34147768 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2021.109497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is a worldwide zoonosis caused by the obligate intracellular apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii). Chickens are ground-feeders and represent, especially if free-range, important intermediate hosts in the epidemiology of toxoplasmosis and are used as sentinels of environmental contamination with T. gondii oocysts. Until now, little is known about the burden and regional distribution of T. gondii cysts in the chicken brain. It was therefore the aim of this study to investigate the abundance and specific distribution of T. gondii cysts within the chicken brain following chronic infection with a type II strain (76 K) of T. gondii. A total of 29 chickens were included in the study and divided into control group (n = 9) and two different infection groups, a low dose (n = 10) and a high dose (n = 10) group, which were orally inoculated with 1500 or 150,000 T. gondii oocysts per animal, respectively. Seroconversion was detected in the majority of chickens of the high dose group, but not in the animals of the low dose and the control group. Moreover, T. gondii DNA was detected most frequently in the brain and more frequently in the heart than in liver, spleen, thigh and pectoral muscle using qPCR analysis. The number of T. gondii cysts, quantified in the chicken brain using histological analysis, seems to be considerably lower as compared to studies in rodents, which might explain why T. gondii infected chickens very rarely, if at all, develop neurological deficits. Similar to observations in mice, in which no lateralisation for T. gondii cysts was reported, T. gondii cysts were distributed nearly equally between the left and right chicken brain hemispheres. When different brain regions (fore-, mid- and hindbrain) were compared, all T. gondii cysts were located in the forebrain with the overwhelming majority of these cysts being present in the telencephalic pallium and subpallium. More studies including different strains and higher doses of T. gondii are needed in order to precisely evaluate its cyst burden and regional distribution in the chicken brain. Together, our findings provide insights into the course of T. gondii infection in chickens and are important to understand the differences of chronic T. gondii infection in the chicken and mammalian brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Britta Beck
- Institute of Parasitology, Centre for Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, 04103, Leipzig, Germany; Institute of Veterinary Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Thomas Grochow
- Institute of Parasitology, Centre for Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, 04103, Leipzig, Germany; Institute of Veterinary Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Gereon Schares
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Epidemiology, 17493, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Radu Blaga
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, F-94700, France
| | - Delphine Le Roux
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, F-94700, France
| | - Berit Bangoura
- Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, 82070, USA
| | - Arwid Daugschies
- Institute of Parasitology, Centre for Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Simone A Fietz
- Institute of Veterinary Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
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Steffen HM. Wie beeinflussen Parasiten das Verhalten ihres Wirts? Die parasitäre Manipulationshypothese. Dtsch Med Wochenschr 2020; 145:1848-1854. [DOI: 10.1055/a-1220-8737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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15
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Manuel L, Santos-Gomes G, Noormahomed EV. Human toxoplasmosis in Mozambique: gaps in knowledge and research opportunities. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:571. [PMID: 33176884 PMCID: PMC7659051 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-04441-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic zoonotic disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii that afflicts humans worldwide and wild and domestic warm-blooded animals. In immunocompetent individuals, the acute phase of infection presents transient low or mild symptoms that remain unnoticed. In immunocompromised patients, T. gondii is a life-threatening opportunistic infection, which can result from the reactivation of latent infection or primary infection. Moreover, congenital toxoplasmosis, which results from the transplacental passage of tachyzoites into the fetus during a pregnant primary infection, can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, or ocular and neurologic disease, and neurocognitive deficits in the newborns. Thus, the present review aims to address the current knowledge of T. gondii infection and toxoplasmosis in Africa and especially in Mozambique, stressing the importance of identifying risk factors and promote awareness among the health care providers and population, assessing the gaps in knowledge and define research priorities. In Mozambique, and in general in southern African countries, clinical disease and epidemiological data have not yet been entirely addressed in addition to the implications of T. gondii infection in immunocompetent individuals, in pregnant women, and its relation with neuropsychiatric disorders. The main gaps in knowledge in Mozambique include lack of awareness of the disease, lack of diagnostic methods in health facilities, lack of genetic data, and lack of control strategies.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Manuel
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidade Lurio, Nampula, Mozambique
| | - Gabriela Santos-Gomes
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL), Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Emilia V Noormahomed
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (UEM), Maputo, Mozambique. .,Department of Medicine, Infectious Disease Division, University of California, San Diego, USA. .,Mozambique Institute for Health Education and Research (MIHER), Maputo, Mozambique.
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Johnson SK, Johnson PTJ. Toxoplasmosis: Recent Advances in Understanding the Link Between Infection and Host Behavior. Annu Rev Anim Biosci 2020; 9:249-264. [PMID: 33138620 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-animal-081720-111125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Humans, wildlife, and domestic animals are intimately linked through shared infections. Many parasites and pathogens use multiple host species, either opportunistically or sequentially, such that managing disease risk frequently requires a broader understanding of the ecological community. The coccidian protozoan Toxoplasma gondii infects more than one hundred species of vertebrates, ranging from bats to beluga whales. In humans, acute toxoplasmosis can have serious health consequences for immunocompromised individuals. Even amongst asymptomatic patients, however, toxoplasmosis has been linked to a range of behavioral alterations and conditions, such as changes in risk tolerance, neuroticism, mental illness, suicide, and accident proneness. Whether such links are causal or simply correlational has been the subject of intense study and debate; from an evolutionary standpoint, selection may favor parasite-induced alterations in host behavior that increase the likelihood a host is consumed by the definitive host-in this case a domestic or wild felid. Here, we examine current evidence for parasite-induced manipulations of host behavior, in both humans and other animals. We critically evaluate proposed mechanisms through which infection might influence host behavior, which range from inflammation in the brain to changes in hormones or neurotransmitters. Considering estimates that T. gondii may infect up to one-third of the global human population, we conclude by examining the implications of these changes for human behavior, individual fitness, and emergent cultural properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie K Johnson
- Leeds School of Business, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA;
| | - Pieter T J Johnson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
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Lathe R, St Clair D. From conifers to cognition: Microbes, brain and behavior. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2020; 19:e12680. [PMID: 32515128 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2020] [Revised: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
A diversity of bacteria, protozoans and viruses ("endozoites") were recently uncovered within healthy tissues including the human brain. By contrast, it was already recognized a century ago that healthy plants tissues contain abundant endogenous microbes ("endophytes"). Taking endophytes as an informative precedent, we overview the nature, prevalence, and role of endozoites in mammalian tissues, centrally focusing on the brain, concluding that endozoites are ubiquitous in diverse tissues. These passengers often remain subclinical, but they are not silent. We address their routes of entry, mechanisms of persistence, tissue specificity, and potential to cause long-term behavioral changes and/or immunosuppression in mammals, where rabies virus is the exemplar. We extend the discussion to Herpesviridae, Coronaviridae, and Toxoplasma, as well as to diverse bacteria and yeasts, and debate the advantages and disadvantages that endozoite infection might afford to the host and to the ecosystem. We provide a clinical perspective in which endozoites are implicated in neurodegenerative disease, anxiety/depression, and schizophrenia. We conclude that endozoites are instrumental in the delicate balance between health and disease, including age-related brain disease, and that endozoites have played an important role in the evolution of brain function and human behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Lathe
- Division of Infection Medicine, University of Edinburgh Medical School, Edinburgh, UK
| | - David St Clair
- Institute of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
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Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous, intracellular protozoan parasite with a broad range of intermediate hosts, including humans and rodents. In many hosts, T. gondii establishes a latent long-term infection by converting from its rapidly dividing or lytic form to its slowly replicating and encysting form. In humans and rodents, the major organ for encystment is the central nervous system (CNS), which has led many to investigate how this persistent CNS infection might influence rodent and human behavior and, more recently, neurodegenerative diseases. Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous, intracellular protozoan parasite with a broad range of intermediate hosts, including humans and rodents. In many hosts, T. gondii establishes a latent long-term infection by converting from its rapidly dividing or lytic form to its slowly replicating and encysting form. In humans and rodents, the major organ for encystment is the central nervous system (CNS), which has led many to investigate how this persistent CNS infection might influence rodent and human behavior and, more recently, neurodegenerative diseases. Given the interest in this topic, here we seek to take a global approach to the data for and against the effects of latent T. gondii on behavior and neurodegeneration and the proposed mechanisms that might underlie behavior modifications.
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19
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Reiling SJ, Dixon BR. Toxoplasma gondii: How an Amazonian parasite became an Inuit health issue. CANADA COMMUNICABLE DISEASE REPORT = RELEVE DES MALADIES TRANSMISSIBLES AU CANADA 2019; 45:183-190. [PMID: 31355827 PMCID: PMC6615440 DOI: 10.4745/ccdr.v45i78a03] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that originated in the Amazon. Felids (mammals in the cat family) are the only definitive hosts. These animals shed large numbers of infectious oocysts into the environment, which can subsequently infect many intermediate hosts, including birds, mammals and, possibly, fish. Human T. gondii seroprevalence is high in some parts of the Canadian Arctic and is associated with adverse health consequences among Inuit population. Since the range of felids does not extend to the Arctic, it is not immediately obvious how this parasite got from the Amazon to the Arctic. The objectives of this overview are to summarize the health impacts of T. gondii infection in Inuit in Canada's North and to consider how this infection could have reached them. This article reviews the prevalence of T. gondii infection in terrestrial and marine animals in the Canadian Arctic and discusses their potential role in the foodborne transmission of this parasite to humans. Two distribution factors seem plausible. First, felids in more southern habitats may release infectious oocysts into waterways. As these oocysts remain viable for months, they can be transported northward via rivers and ocean currents and could infect Arctic fish and eventually the marine mammals that prey on the fish. Second, migratory terrestrial and marine intermediate hosts may be responsible for carrying T. gondii tissue cysts to the Arctic, where they may then pass on the infection to carnivores. The most likely source of T. gondii in Inuit is from consumption of traditionally-prepared country foods including meat and organs from intermediate hosts, which may be consumed raw. With climate change, northward migration of felids may increase the prevalence of T. gondii in Arctic wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- SJ Reiling
- Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Food Directorate, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON
| | - BR Dixon
- Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Food Directorate, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON
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20
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Reiling SJ, Dixon BR. Toxoplasma gondii: How an Amazonian parasite became an Inuit health issue. CANADA COMMUNICABLE DISEASE REPORT = RELEVE DES MALADIES TRANSMISSIBLES AU CANADA 2019; 45:183-190. [PMID: 31355827 PMCID: PMC6615440 DOI: 10.14745/ccdr.v45i78a03] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that originated in the Amazon. Felids (mammals in the cat family) are the only definitive hosts. These animals shed large numbers of infectious oocysts into the environment, which can subsequently infect many intermediate hosts, including birds, mammals and, possibly, fish. Human T. gondii seroprevalence is high in some parts of the Canadian Arctic and is associated with adverse health consequences among Inuit population. Since the range of felids does not extend to the Arctic, it is not immediately obvious how this parasite got from the Amazon to the Arctic. The objectives of this overview are to summarize the health impacts of T. gondii infection in Inuit in Canada's North and to consider how this infection could have reached them. This article reviews the prevalence of T. gondii infection in terrestrial and marine animals in the Canadian Arctic and discusses their potential role in the foodborne transmission of this parasite to humans. Two distribution factors seem plausible. First, felids in more southern habitats may release infectious oocysts into waterways. As these oocysts remain viable for months, they can be transported northward via rivers and ocean currents and could infect Arctic fish and eventually the marine mammals that prey on the fish. Second, migratory terrestrial and marine intermediate hosts may be responsible for carrying T. gondii tissue cysts to the Arctic, where they may then pass on the infection to carnivores. The most likely source of T. gondii in Inuit is from consumption of traditionally-prepared country foods including meat and organs from intermediate hosts, which may be consumed raw. With climate change, northward migration of felids may increase the prevalence of T. gondii in Arctic wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- SJ Reiling
- Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Food Directorate, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON
| | - BR Dixon
- Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Food Directorate, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON
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