Aspies For Freedom

Lol, I just had to link this, I've known about it quite some time but never thought to link it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxoplasma_gondii

Basiclly there is a form of parasitic infection called Toxoplasma Gondii, humans have known about it for ages, but it can only reproduce in cats (Although it can be carried by humans and most warm blooded mammals - worryingly, usually in their brain tissues).

However more recent studies have shown a correlation between schizoid behaviour in humans and infection by the parasite, and in lab tests it's well demonstrated lab rats and mice become fixated on cats (Since cats are the main infection vector for the parasite, thus it encourages them to be eaten by the cat and in turn infect it).

Reason I thought it'd be intresting to bring up is there is some correlation between schizoid behaviours and autism, not to mention autism is far from "normal" behaviourally... and, I don't think i have to go far to point out a worrying number of autistic forum goers seem rather fixated on cats  :lol:


Hey, it's a better theory than Mercury Poisoning -   :twisted:

I think it's estimated that 50% of people will have been infected by it at some point in their life, and after that will develop immunity.

It's only really dangerous for pregnant women who get infected as it could cause miscarriage, and for people with HIV.

If someone got infected, then displays symptoms of schizophrenia, it would really be a psychosis as to get a diagnosis of schizophrenia you would need to show the signs for more than a few days.

I edited that page too, to show how to prevent infection.

What you said about the mice becoming fixated on cats, and wanting to infect them as they have been infected themselves.

Reminds me of a Looney Tunes cartoon, where these mice ate all this cheese, and got really full and sick. So sick, that they vowed never to eat cheese again. So they figure, what is life without the enjoyment of cheese. They go to commit suicide by asking the cat to eat them, the cat assumes something must be wrong..like the mice mean to poison the cat.

The reason I brought this up is, I now know why the cat was afraid. It wasn't poison, he must've thought the mice were infected with that parasite, and were on a mission to destroy the cat.

I know of a girl whose mum contracted toxoplasmosis during pregnancy and she ended up deaf and with poor vision (but not so bad as to be legally blind). I hadn't heard that it could be implicated in schizoid behaviour too.