Thijssen, Vera (2020) Host Behavioral Manipulation by Toxoplasma gondii: Integrating Neurobiological and Evolutionary Mechanisms. Bachelor's Thesis, Biology.
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Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite with an alternating life cycle between sexual reproduction in felids (definitive host) and asexual replication in any other mammal or bird (intermediate host). This parasite is thought to manipulate its intermediate hosts by increasing the attractiveness of males, decreasing the aversion to cat odor and adjusting the secondary sex ratio (SSR). The evidence for these behavioral manipulations is strong in rodents, but only the SSR manipulation is well-studied and confirmed in humans. While increased testosterone levels are proposed as the underlying mechanism for all three phenomena, this is only based on clear evidence for the increased attractiveness of males and not for the other behavioral modifications.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Bachelor's Thesis) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Elliot, M.G. |
| Degree programme: | Biology |
| Thesis type: | Bachelor's Thesis |
| Language: | English |
| Date Deposited: | 25 Jun 2020 13:54 |
| Last Modified: | 30 Jun 2020 09:50 |
| URI: | https://fse.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/21995 |
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