(October 17, 2016 at 7:54 pm)mh.brewer Wrote: My personal favorite.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3515034/
Good one! Here's another: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1690701/
We tested the hypothesis that the parasite Toxoplasma gondii manipulates the behaviour of its intermediate rat host in order to increase its chance of being predated by cats, its feline definitive host, thereby ensuring the completion of its life cycle. Here we report that, although rats have evolved anti-predator avoidance of areas with signs of cat presence, T. gondii's manipulation appears to alter the rat's perception of cat predation risk, in some cases turning their innate aversion into an imprudent attraction. The selectivity of such behavioural changes suggests that this ubiquitous parasite subtly alters the brain of its intermediate host to enhance predation rate whilst leaving other behavioural categories and general health intact.
But this is my all time favorite in the area of parasitic colonization and take over of host behavior.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuKjBIBBAL8
"Leave it to me to find a way to be,
Consider me a satellite forever orbiting,
I knew the rules but the rules did not know me, guaranteed." - Eddie Vedder
Consider me a satellite forever orbiting,
I knew the rules but the rules did not know me, guaranteed." - Eddie Vedder
