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Influence of latent toxoplasmosis on intelligence of infected subjects
Chvátalová, Veronika ; Flegr, Jaroslav (advisor) ; Lindová, Jitka (referee)
There remain inconsistencies in the literature concerning the intelligence of subjects infected with latent toxoplasmosis. The main goals of this work are to find out whether, a) latent toxoplasmosis influences the intelligence of infected subjects and b) whether Rh negative and Rh positive subjects respond to the infection in different ways. In this work we used a complex test of intelligence, The Structure Intelligence Test I-S-T 2000 R. We were able to statistically control for the confounding variable the size of the place of residence in childhood. This had benefits when compared to previous studies. The differences in intelligence were measured in students of The Faculty of Science. The sample used included 46 toxoplasma-infected and 188 toxoplasma-free individuals. Using nonparametric tests we found lower numerical, fluid and general intelligence in toxoplasma-infected subjects compared to noninfected subjects. In addition, these tendencies were also observed in the results of parametric tests. Further to these components of intelligence there was also found to be a lower component of numerical knowledge in toxoplasma-infected males. By contrast, no differences between infected and noninfected individuals was found to occur in the female test subjects. No statistically significant...
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Sustaining of RHD polymorphism in human population by selectin in favour of heterozygotes
Pokorný, Daniel ; Flegr, Jaroslav (advisor) ; Kaňková, Šárka (referee)
RhD polymorphism is an evolutionary enigma since the very discovery. Theoretically, the RhD- allele carriers should be eliminated through the negative selection against RhD positive children born to RhD negative mothers. The aim of this diploma thesis was to find out whether RhD positive heterozygous genotype is associated with the reduction of latent toxoplasmosis negative effects or even associated with improved psychomotor performances, memory or higher self-confidence, intuition and cognitive performances scores. Second of all, the aim of this thesis was to find out if RhD negative homozygotes exhibit worsened performances in the abovementioned characteristics and, consequently, see whether RhD polymorphism origin and maintenance could be achieved through the heterozygote advantage. General linear models that included listed variables, RhD genotypes and phenotypes, information about toxoplasma-infection status and age as a covariate were performed. Heterozygote Advantage hypothesis was supported in operational memory models and in case of women also in psychomotor performances models. On the other hand, models of short-term memory, self-confidence, intuition and cognitive performances scores did not support the formulated hypothesis. Keywords RhD polymorphism, selection favouring heterozygotes,...
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The relation between latent toxoplasmosis and schizophrenia
Sglundová, Markéta ; Flegr, Jaroslav (advisor) ; Holub, David (referee)
The relation between the intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii and schizophrenia was studied and confirmed in several studies. There are proofs that latent toxoplasmosis deteriorates the course of schizophrenia. The goal of this study was to clarify whether there are differences between subjectively perceived quality of life of infected and non-infected psychiatric patients. We tested men and women from the PCP treated for the diagnosis of schizophrenia, who undertook serology blood tests for detection of anamnestic T. gondii antibodies. Patients also filled out two questionaires that assessed subjectively perceived quality of life - SOS-10 and WHOQOL-BREF. Patients filled out these questionaires twice, both at the start of the study before coming to psychiatric therapeutical institution and after one year. During the first testing were the questionaires filled out by 171 persons, after one year by 108 persons. Based on the results of these tests we found out that latent toxoplasmosis had a negative impact on subjectively perceived quality of life of schizophrenia patients, particularly on infected women. On the other hand, the quality of life of non-infected patients improved during one year. The effect of toxoplasmosis on quality of life was gender related, which could be explained by already...
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Úleková reakce u osob s latentní toxoplasmosou
Příplatová, Lenka ; Flegr, Jaroslav (advisor) ; Havlíček, Jan (referee)
Possible connection between latent toxoplasmosis and schizophrenia is a very interesting and medically important topic. In this thesis I tried to map current state of knowledge in the interdisciplinary research of schizophrenia and Toxoplasma gondii and their possible connections as well as to show differences in responses between Toxoplasma-positive and Toxoplasma-negative subjects using simple computer-administered tests of prepulse inhibition of startle reaction (PPI). Such differences would suggest another similarity between schizophrenia patients and subjects with latent toxoplasmosis as the sensorimotor gating responsible for PPI was found to be disrupted in schizophrenia patients. Side goal of the study was to test newly developed PC software for testing PPI and to determine its applicability in further research. Subjects for the tests were recruited among adepts of professional military service; 409 subjects completed the test of acoustic PPI and 276 subjects completed the test of visual PPI. All the subjects were tested on presence of specific anti-Toxoplasma IgG in their blood serum. Both tests revealed significant (p<0.001) differences between responses on prepulse-preceded stimuli and plain stimuli without prepulse, no significant results were, however, gained for the effects of latent...
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Influence of latent toxoplasmosis on intelligence of infected subjects
Chvátalová, Veronika ; Flegr, Jaroslav (advisor) ; Lindová, Jitka (referee)
There remain inconsistencies in the literature concerning the intelligence of subjects infected with latent toxoplasmosis. The main goals of this work are to find out whether, a) latent toxoplasmosis influences the intelligence of infected subjects and b) whether Rh negative and Rh positive subjects respond to the infection in different ways. In this work we used a complex test of intelligence, The Structure Intelligence Test I-S-T 2000 R. We were able to statistically control for the confounding variable the size of the place of residence in childhood. This had benefits when compared to previous studies. The differences in intelligence were measured in students of The Faculty of Science. The sample used included 46 toxoplasma-infected and 188 toxoplasma-free individuals. Using nonparametric tests we found lower numerical, fluid and general intelligence in toxoplasma-infected subjects compared to noninfected subjects. In addition, these tendencies were also observed in the results of parametric tests. Further to these components of intelligence there was also found to be a lower component of numerical knowledge in toxoplasma-infected males. By contrast, no differences between infected and noninfected individuals was found to occur in the female test subjects. No statistically significant...
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