I wonder if attacking the brain is deliberate on the part of the virus? If the goal is survival, maybe the virus is deliberately making people (vectors) "forget" the dangers. Toxoplasmosis is an example of an infection manipulating an animal.
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Well, viruses don’t have minds, but if you’re asking, would it confer an evolutionary advantage to evolve the capacity to make hosts more reckless? then the answer would be yes. I was pretty dismissive of this line of argument earlier on, because cultural stupidity can explain a lot. But …
aug 31, 2025, 9:24 pm • 1 0 • view
there’s a mounting body of evidence suggesting that the virus messes with memory, emotion, and also executive function, by damaging specific brain regions.
aug 31, 2025, 9:26 pm • 2 0 • view
Toxoplasmosis has one host species - the common cat. But, it has to get from the soil to the cat and scientists have shown that mice that become infected with it will stop being afraid of cats. The parasite affects their fear response and the cat eats them!
aug 31, 2025, 9:30 pm • 1 0 • view
Exactly. It all reminds me of Ray Bradbury’s classic short story, “Fever Dream.”
aug 31, 2025, 9:53 pm • 2 0 • view
I've read a good amount of Ray Bradbury but I'd never read Fever Dreams! I found it online and just read it. It was great and spot on!
aug 31, 2025, 10:46 pm • 1 0 • view
If they ever find out covid does something like this to make people stupid, remember me!!!
aug 31, 2025, 10:13 pm • 2 0 • view
Years ago I came across a thread which was some doctors chatting about what on earth is wrong with the MAGAs to be so fixated on Trump and immune to reality. They were speculating that it might be toxoplasmosis.
aug 31, 2025, 10:20 pm • 2 0 • view
I guess I'm not the 1st. Oh well. Great minds, though, right?!
aug 31, 2025, 10:40 pm • 0 0 • view