Impact of chronic Toxoplasma gondii infection on host neuropsychiatric and behavioral well-being

doi:10.12140/j.issn.1000-7423.2025.03.019

Abstract

Abstract:

Toxoplasma gondii is a globally distributed obligate intracellular parasite that causes zoonotic toxoplasmosis. Studies have found that chronic T. gondii infection leads to damage of the host’s central nervous system (such as altered neuroimmune response and neurotransmitter imbalance) through the formation of tissue cysts in the host brain, manifested as changes in mental disorders (such as schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder, major depression, and suicide attempts), cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s disease, and behavioral changes (such as fatal attraction phenomenon, increased risk of traffic accidents, increased probability of becoming a wolf king, increased sexual attractiveness, and changes in dietary preferences), etc. This review aims to explore the relationship and underlying mechanisms between chronic T. gondii infection and host neuropsychiatric and behavioral changes.

Key words: Toxoplasma gondii, Chronic infection, Neuropsychiatric, Behavior, Mechanisms

CLC Number:

R531.8

SHI Chengyu, CHANG Yunjing, LV Fangli. Impact of chronic Toxoplasma gondii infection on host neuropsychiatric and behavioral well-being[J]. CHINESE JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY AND PARASITIC DISEASES, 2025, 43(3): 429-435.

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