>The brain-hijacking parasite Toxoplasma gondii seems to be almost everywhere. The microscopic invader is thought to infect up to 50 percent of people, and a range of studies suggests it may alter human behavior >… the researchers found Toxoplasma-infected subjects had significantly lower facial fluctuating asymmetry than the non-infected people. >Fluctuating asymmetry is a measure of deviation from symmetrical features, with lower levels of asymmetry (ie. higher symmetry) being linked with better physical health, good genes, and attractiveness, among other things. >In addition, women carrying the parasite were found to have lower body mass and lower BMI than non-infected women, and they reported both higher self-perceived attractiveness and a higher number of sexual partners. >In a separate experiment, a group of 205 independent volunteers rated photographs of the participants' faces, and the raters found the infected participants looked both significantly more attractive and healthier than the non-infected participants. >Further, the parasite could also be influencing metabolic rate in hosts, nudging infected people in ways that might influence their health and attractiveness perceptions.
>But maybe – just maybe, they say – this perplexing parasite isn't necessarily our enemy after all. "It is possible that the apparently non-pathological and potentially beneficial interactions between T. gondii and some of its intermediate hosts, such as rats and humans, are the result of co-evolutionary strategies that benefit, or at least do not harm, the fitness of both the parasite and the host," the researchers write.
tl;dr It’s hypothesized these parasites are capable of changing their hosts symmetrical features and metabolism, making the host more attractive to increase the parasites spread to new hosts.
The symmetry thing is bullshit...what if both sides of your face are equally ugly?
Carson Roberts
>it only does 2 things >i myself welcome our parasite make-overlords... this is zenith clown world
Aaron Watson
double negative
Aaron Gonzalez
Take half of Chelsea Peretti's face and mirror it then get back to me.
Alexander Sullivan
is this the whole correlation causation thing but they are purposefully not looking at it that way and even saying "hey what if"?
one of you schizos once said it increased IQ and test. as well.
Asher Roberts
So that's why my gf was a polygamous slut. It was her fucking cat. ...Who now sleeps in my bed.
In all seriousness, toxoplasmosis has been associated with an increase in risk seeking behavior and sexual deviancy in humans. Very interesting. Maybe I need to thank the cat for bringing me a kinky sub gf, cause I must admit it is kinda cash.
Dominic Baker
>This is retarded. How is it supposed to change bone structure?
T. gondii infection may produce changes in facial symmetry of its hosts through changes in endocrinological variables such as testosterone levels; this hypothesis is consistent with the finding that Toxoplasma-infected men have higher testosterone levels (Flegr, Lindová & Kodym, 2008; Borráz-León et al., 2021a) and Toxoplasma-infected women have lower testosterone levels than non-infected subjects (Flegr, Lindová & Kodym, 2008), as well as with some data showing that body symmetry can change due to hormonal fluctuations across the menstrual cycle (Scutt & Manning, 1996; but see Marcinkowska & Holzleitner, 2020). These changes, both in the endocrinology system and in facial symmetry, would ultimately benefit the spread of the parasite by increasing the attractiveness of its hosts through increasing their facial symmetry. This hypothesis is also consistent with previous results showing that Toxoplasma-infected male rats have higher testosterone levels and are preferred as sexual partners by non-infected females (Dass et al., 2011),
I think they spun a story around the wrong "cause -> effect" interaction. It is not T. gondii causing you to get better facial symmetry, it is your better facial symmetry making it easier to get T. gondii by being more attractive and fucking around more. Although be warned: microbes have a scary effect on humans. Just look up how much influence gut microbes have over you. Then look at how many parasites gays have and tell me if isn't true.
Aiden Diaz
only retards who let their cats outside and dont treat their litter before it sporifies will have issues with it. its more likely you randomly pick it up in the dirt outside yourself.
Justin Butler
your gut is your mental/hormonal brain. its why everyone has mental issues because poor diets and fucked up gut biomes causing issues. and we try to fix it with brain brain altering drugs instead of good microflora.
Jonathan Anderson
Aliens put parasites into the head of Humans to stunt their progress.
Charles Cox
>Crazy cat lady reports: Cats make you sexy, the more the merrier. Fucking cat people...
