Behavioral alterations in long-term Toxoplasma gondii infection of C57BL/6 mice are associated with neuroinflammation and disruption of the blood brain barrier.

ABSTRACT: The Apicomplexa protozoan Toxoplasma gondii is a mandatory intracellular parasite and the causative agent of toxoplasmosis. This illness is of medical importance due to its high prevalence worldwide and may cause neurological alterations in immunocompromised persons. In chronically infected immunocompetent individuals, this parasite forms tissue cysts mainly in the brain. In addition, T. gondii infection has been related to mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, as well as mood, personality, and other behavioral changes. In the present study, we evaluated the kinetics of behavioral alterations in a model of chronic infection, assessing anxiety, depression and exploratory behavior, and their relationship with neuroinflammation an

SUBMITTER: Castano Barrios L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8491889 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature