Any parasite that attacks the CNS will alter behavior; it's a given. I'm guessing that the gender-dependent effects observed in France are related to the parasite interfering with higher-level brain functions, resulting in less inhibited behavior... Seems likely enough to me, though I'm having some trouble finding sources for that which cite actual scientific studies on that particular effect.
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Originally Posted by Wikipedia
Other studies suggest that the parasite may influence personality. There are claims of toxoplasma causing antisocial attitudes in men and promiscuity[11] (or even "signs of higher intelligence"[12]) in women, and greater susceptibility to schizophrenia and manic depression[13] in all infected persons. A review of research focused on the schizophrenia connection confirms an association but does not confirm a causal relationship [14].
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Link with schizophrenia? Possible. Increased intelligence? Very unlikely, I would think, especially given this:
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Originally Posted by Dr. Joanne Webster
"There is some initial research that has found hyperactivity and low IQ in children with high Toxoplasma levels.
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(Also, I'm going to have to put in the mandatory cultural bias warning: in Western culture, sexual promiscuity is almost always considered to be associated with high intelligence - people like Hugh Hefner are often cited as having ridiculously high IQs. The effects of innate biases (and manipulative, id-centric personalities!) on such studies have to be taken into account.)
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Originally Posted by Wikipedia
Studies have found that toxoplasmosis is associated with an increased auto accident rate, roughly doubling or tripling the chance of an accident relative to uninfected people [5][6]. This may be due to the decreased reaction times that are associated with infection [7]. "If our data are true then about a million people a year die just because they are infected with toxoplasma," the researcher Jaroslav Flegr told The Guardian[8].
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Slower reflexes and reduced inhibitions definitely go together in other instances. I wonder if toxoplasma messes with the same receptor sites as alcohol?