In the quest to feel more beautiful, people invest thousands of reais in aesthetic procedures, surgeries, clothes and diets. But have you ever thought about being infected by a parasite capable of making you more attractive for other people? Well, apparently Toxoplasma Gondii can have that effect on humans. Check out what scientists discovered about this curious case.
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How was the research done?
To find out about the effect of this parasite, scientists gathered some people, showed them photos and asked whether the individuals present in them were attractive or not. To their surprise, men and women infected with Taxoplasma Gondii ended up ranking highest on the list. In other studies, it was possible to see the same effect in male and infected rats that preferred females as sexual partners.
Unfortunately, for many people, this is not a positive sign. That's because the parasite is directly associated with an extensive list of neurological disorders, such as psychotic episodes and schizophrenia. Therefore, scientists point out that this effect is precisely to benefit the parasite as well, enabling more transmissions.
Furthermore, it is also theorized that the Taxoplasma Gondii infection can produce some changes in the symmetry of our faces through alteration in endocrinological substances. Strange if you consider that a lot of people spend rivers of money on facial pairing, isn't it?
Who can be infected?
According to researchers, both men and women can be infected. However, men seem to be more willing, as high testosterone levels are more prone to infection. In addition, when contracting the parasite, the individual may have his phenotype subtly altered through some chemical substances being altered, such as neurotransmitters and hormones.
Furthermore, in the case of female hosts, they may have lower body mass than those who are not infected, but at the same time report a higher number of sexual partners. Therefore, they can directly influence the metabolic rate of the hosts.