New York: People infected with a common brain parasite transmitted through the faeces of infected cats, undercooked meat or contaminated water may be at increased risk of getting involved in road rage, new research published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry suggests.
Studying 358 adults, the researchers found that toxoplasmosis, a relatively harmless parasitic infection carried by an estimated 30 per cent of all humans, is associated with intermittent explosive disorder and increased aggression.
“Our work suggests that latent infection with the toxoplasma gondii parasite may change brain chemistry in a fashion that increases the risk of aggressive behaviour,” said senior study author Emil Coccaro, professor at University of Chicago. “However, we do not know if this relationship is causal, and not everyone that tests positive for toxoplasmosis will have aggression issues,” Coccaro added.
“We don’t yet understand the mechanisms involved. It could be an increased inflammatory response, direct brain modulation by the parasite, or even reverse causation where aggressive individuals tend to have more cats or eat more undercooked meat,” Royce Lee, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioural neuroscience, University of Chicago, noted.
@ Agency report.
