TOXOPLASMOSIS AND HOARDING

该子项目是利用 由NIH/NCRR资助的中心赠款提供的资源。子项目和 研究者（PI）可能从另一个NIH来源获得主要资金， 因此可以在其他CRISP条目中表示。列出的机构是 中心，不一定是研究者的机构。 背景技术背景：弓形虫是一种原生动物微生物寄生虫，广泛感染野生动物和家畜，并可传播给人类。 弓形虫是免疫功能低下者脑病和死亡的重要原因。 慢性感染T.弓形虫表现出CNS多巴胺浓度的选择性增加（Stibbs，1985）。 CNS多巴胺的增加与人类的精神病和啮齿动物的强迫症（OCD）样仪式行为相关（Eilam和Szechtman，2005）。 有趣的是，多巴胺活性也可以与人类的人格特征相关，特别是“新奇寻求”（Cloninger，1998; Hansenne et al.，2002年）。 此外，T.人类的弓形虫感染可能与人格改变有关（Flegr和Hrdy，1994; Flegr等，1996; Flegr和Havlicek，1999; Flegr等人，2000; Novotna等人，2005），包括减少新奇寻求（Flegr等人，2003; Novotna等人，2005年）。 研究报告：我们建议测试弓形虫病暴露与一种特定的行为表型之间的关系，即“囤积行为”和低“新奇寻求”。“因为猫和啮齿动物是弓形虫病的常见宿主，我们计划将猫和老鼠的终生暴露与弓形虫病感染联系起来。 方法：我们将研究感染弓形虫，囤积行为，新奇寻求行为，和终身接触家猫或实验室大鼠，80名没有基线强迫症的医疗保健专业人员之间的关系。 医疗保健专业人员不太可能有显著的精神或身体共病。 然而，办公室环境提供了一个私人空间，在那里几乎没有对初期囤积行为的监管。 个别办公空间将被盲目地评为囤积水平。 将评价受试者的新奇行为，调查猫/实验室大鼠的终生暴露情况，并抽取血清弓形虫抗体作为既往暴露于寄生虫的指标。 临床相关性：病理性出血，（即，“三段论躁狂症”，有时也称为“第欧根尼综合征”），其特征是家庭肮脏、丧失洞察力和社会退缩（Clark，Manikur amp; Gray，1975; Cooney amp; Hamid，1995）。 受影响的个人聚集大量明显无用和未使用的物品，包括新的和旧的物品，报纸和杂志，用过的食品容器，床上用品和其他无用的垃圾。 在极端情况下，这些人的生活条件肮脏，外表无人照管。 房屋可能缺少公用设施。 室内经常充满垃圾和杂物，对人的健康构成危害。 第欧根尼病例经常被发现生活在不卫生的条件下。 生活环境可能包含许多宠物、昆虫或啮齿动物感染，偶尔还有人类和动物的排泄物（即，一个有利于T. gondii）（Patronek，1999）。 这些人中的大多数还患有健康维护不良，包括营养不良和贫血症。 第欧根尼综合症是一个重要的公共卫生问题。 Cooney和Hamid（1995）估计Diogenes综合征的年发病率为每10，000名60岁以上的人中有5人。 这可能是一个低估，因为现有的研究是有限的人谁是已知的医疗保健提供者。 社会服务提供者估计，仅在曼哈顿就有1,000个活跃病例，（即，患病率为4/10，000）（罗恩阿尔福德http://www.theplan.com;个人交流）。 第欧根尼病例可能占贝克萨尔县成人保护服务的25%;病例量（个人通信）。 在这项初步研究中，我们建议测试弓形虫病暴露和囤积行为之间的关联。 如果能够证明这种关联，将产生重要影响。 首先，它将证明CNS寄生虫在没有临床疾病的情况下改变人类宿主行为的能力。 第二，它将证明各种目前无法解释的行为障碍是寄生操纵的产物。 第三，它将为一个重要的公共卫生问题提供特定的抗微生物治疗的潜力。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. BACKGROUND: Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan microbial parasite that infects a wide range of wild and domestic animals and can be transmitted to human beings. Toxoplasma gondii is an important cause of encephalopathy and death in immunocompromised persons. Mice chronically infected with T. gondii exhibit selective increases in CNS dopamine concentrations (Stibbs, 1985). Increases in CNS dopamine are associated with psychosis in humans, and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) like ritualistic behavior in rodents (Eilam and Szechtman, 2005). Interestingly, dopamine activity can also be associated with personality traits in humans, particularly "novelty seeking" (Cloninger, 1998; Hansenne et al., 2002). Additionally, T. gondii infection in humans can be associated with personality changes (Flegr and Hrdy, 1994; Flegr et al., 1996; Flegr and Havlicek, 1999; Flegr et al., 2000; Novotna et al., 2005), including decreased novelty seeking (Flegr et al., 2003; Novotna et al., 2005). RESEARCH PLAN: We propose to test the association between toxoplasmosis gondii exposure and a specific behavioral phenotype, "hoarding behavior" and low "novelty seeking." Because cats and rodents are common host for toxoplasmosis gondii we plan to make the association of lifetime exposure to cats and rats to Toxoplasmosis gondii infection. METHODS: We will examine the relationship between infection to Toxoplasmosis gondii, hoarding behavior, novelty seeking behavior, and lifetime exposure to household cats or laboratory rats, 80 healthcare professionals who do not have baseline Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Healthcare professionals are not likely to have significant mental or physical comorbidities. Nevertheless, the office setting provides a personal space in which there is little policing of incipient hoarding behavior. Individual office spaces will be blindly rated for level of hoarding. Subjects will be evaluated for novelty seeking behavior, surveyed for lifetime exposure to cats/laboratory rats, and have serum Toxoplasmosis gondii antibodies drawn as an indication of prior exposure to the parasite. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Pathological horading, (i.e., "syllogamania", sometimes also called the "Diogenes Syndrome"), is characterized by domestic squalor, loss of insight, and social withdrawal (Clark, Manikur amp; Gray, 1975; Cooney amp; Hamid, 1995). Affected individuals amass huge quantities of apparently useless and unused articles, including both new and old items, newspapers and magazines, used food containers, bedding, and other useless rubbish. In extreme cases, the living conditions of these persons are filthy and neglected on the exterior. Homes may lack utilities. The interior is often filled with rubbish and clutter to the point of being a health hazard to the person. Diogenes cases are often found living in unsanitary conditions. The living environment may contain numerous pets, insect or rodent infestations, and occasionally human and animal excrement, (i.e., an environment that is conducive to the interspecies transmission of T. gondii) (Patronek, 1999). A majority of these persons also suffer from poor health maintenance including malnutrition and anemia. The Diogenes syndrome is an important public health problem. Cooney amp; Hamid (1995) estimate an annual incidence of the Diogenes Syndrome at 5 per 10,000 persons aged over 60 years. This may be an underestimate, as the available studies are restricted persons who are known to health care providers. Social service providers estimate 1,000 active cases in Manhatten alone, (i.e., a prevalence of 4/10,000) (Ron Alford http://www.theplan.com; personal communication). Diogenes cases may comprise 25% of Bexar County Adult Protective Services; caseload (personal communication). In this pilot study, we propose to test the association between toxoplasmosis gondii exposure and hoarding behavior. If such an association can be demonstrated, there would be important implications. First, it would demonstrate the capacity of CNS parasites to alter human host behavior in the absence of clinical disease. Second, it would demonstrate the potential for a wide variety of currently unexplained behavioral disorders to be the product of parasitic manipulation. Third, it would offer the potential of specific anti-microbial treatments for an important public health problem.