A new study shows that parasites can influence human behavior

An international team of researchers has found a possible link between infection with the parasite Toxoplasma gondii and behavior involving risky commercial decisions

In the book published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B describes an experiment they performed to test the behavioral changes caused by Toxoplasma gondii infections Phys.

This parasite is unicellular and the group reportedly infected more than a quarter of the world's population. Fortunately, many have few or no symptoms. Significant symptoms usually consist of headaches and common flu. People become infected by ingesting raw or undercooked meat or cleaning sand for cats.

In the new study, researchers have shown that rodents infected with the parasite tend to change their behavior. They wondered if people infected with this virus had behavioral changes.

To find the answer, the scientists took saliva samples from 1,500 student volunteers. They also collected 200 samples of people attending a seminar on entrepreneurship. After testing the samples, the researchers found that 22% of those tested were exposed to the parasite. They also found that among those infected, there were 1.4 times more chances that they were students in commerce. They also found that among those who attended the seminar on entrepreneurship, infected people were 1.8 times more likely to start their own business than those who did not have the parasite.

The researchers note that starting a business is considered very behavioral. risky – many fail and suffer from an economic point of view. As evidence that these infections cause risk behavior in humans, scientists cite the fact that those who have been infected with the parasite are more engaged in such an approach.

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