November 4th, 2011
An infection by the brain parasite Toxoplasma gondii, found in 10-20 % of the UK’s population, directly affects the production of dopamine, a key chemical messenger in the brain. University of Leeds' findings are the first to demonstrate that a parasite found in the brain of mammals can affect dopamine levels. While the work has been carried out with rodents, lead investigator Dr Glenn McConkey believes that the findings could ultimately shed new light on treating human neurological disorders that are dopamine-related such as schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and Parkinson’s disease.
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