So, I guess I have to tag my post with the following disclaimer*:
My name is Amelia Wright, and I’m a bio nerd. I take 3 labs every week to avoid the shakes and occasionally wash it down with some field research on bees when I’m feeling especially jittery.
I’ve come to terms with it.
That said, my reading over break was… a scientific journal article!
Among other things.
But, I found this the most interesting, so I thought I’d report it to y’all.
Here’s the breakdown: There’s a type of parasite called Toxoplasma gondii that infects rats as its intermediate host (the host it uses to get to its definitive host, where its life cycle is completed). In order to complete their tiny little parasite life cycle the rat must be eaten by a cat.
‘Why, that’s absurd!’ you might say, ‘Rats are terrified of cats! They’ll never catch them!’
Ah, yes. But you see, the parasite has a phenomenal trick up its sleeve. (Its tiny, tiny sleeve.)
Rats have an innate aversion to cat urine, which is a basic evolutionary adaptation used to avoid predation. So, how does the parasite get around this?
Well, he/she just switches around some neurological pathways, that’s all!
The parasite somehow (HOW?!) reverses the innate fear of the rat rooted in the amygdalar complex of the brain to cat urine so that it becomes an innate attraction.
Thus, the rat becomes attracted to its predator’s excrement, making predation by the cat about as close to a free lunch as you can get.
So, the parasite increases predation of its host and…completes its own life cycle by reworking neurological functions?
NBD, just a parasite workin’ the cranium. Just another day in the life of MESSING WITH YOUR HEAD.
Man, I gotta get me some of that.
*I’m sorry to anyone and everyone that doesn’t find this as ridiculously fascination as I do.
So, I guess I have to tag my post with the following disclaimer*:
ReplyDeleteMy name is Amelia Wright, and I’m a bio nerd.
I take 3 labs every week to avoid the shakes and occasionally wash it down with some field research on bees when I’m feeling especially jittery.
I’ve come to terms with it.
That said, my reading over break was…
a scientific journal article!
Among other things.
But, I found this the most interesting, so I thought I’d report it to y’all.
Here’s the breakdown:
There’s a type of parasite called Toxoplasma gondii that infects rats as its intermediate host (the host it uses to get to its definitive host, where its life cycle is completed). In order to complete their tiny little parasite life cycle the rat must be eaten by a cat.
‘Why, that’s absurd!’ you might say, ‘Rats are terrified of cats! They’ll never catch them!’
Ah, yes. But you see, the parasite has a phenomenal trick up its sleeve. (Its tiny, tiny sleeve.)
Rats have an innate aversion to cat urine, which is a basic evolutionary adaptation used to avoid predation. So, how does the parasite get around this?
Well, he/she just switches around some neurological pathways, that’s all!
The parasite somehow (HOW?!) reverses the innate fear of the rat rooted in the amygdalar complex of the brain to cat urine so that it becomes an innate attraction.
Thus, the rat becomes attracted to its predator’s excrement, making predation by the cat about as close to a free lunch as you can get.
So, the parasite increases predation of its host and…completes its own life cycle by reworking neurological functions?
NBD, just a parasite workin’ the cranium.
Just another day in the life of MESSING WITH YOUR HEAD.
Man, I gotta get me some of that.
*I’m sorry to anyone and everyone that doesn’t find this as ridiculously fascination as I do.
I have to get my hands on this journal...
ReplyDelete