Over the past three turbulent decades, research has profoundly reshaped our understanding of chronic Toxoplasma gondii infection-traditionally regarded as harmless in immunocompetent individuals-unveiling its surprising impact on human health, performance, and behavior. This review emphasizes the effects of chronic Toxoplasma infection on physical and mental health, cognitive performance, and behavioral changes, highlighting key findings from studies investigating these domains, with a particular focus on both ultimate and proximate mechanisms underlying the observed effects. To this end, the primary focus will be on human studies; however, animal model studies will also be thoroughly considered when necessary and appropriate, to provide context and additional important information. Research demonstrates that chronic Toxoplasma infection may contribute to a broad spectrum of physical health issues. Ecological studies have revealed correlations between toxoplasmosis prevalence and increased morbidity and mortality from various conditions, including cardiovascular diseases, neurological disorders, and certain cancers. Large-scale cross-sectional studies have further shown that infected individuals report a higher incidence of numerous health complaints and diagnosed diseases, suggesting a significant impact on overall physical well-being. In addition to physical health, lifelong Toxoplasma infection (subclinical toxoplasmosis) has been implicated in cognitive impairments and behavioral changes. Studies have reported associations between infection and poorer performance in areas such as reaction time, processing speed, working memory, and executive function. Many of these behavioral changes likely relate to worsened health and a shift towards a "fast life history strategy." These cognitive deficits can have significant implications for daily functioning and performance. Furthermore, the role of Toxoplasma infection in the development or exacerbation of mental health disorders has been extensively investigated. Meta-analyses, ecological studies, and large-scale observational studies have demonstrated associations between Toxoplasma infection and an increased risk of disorders such as schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder. While the precise mechanisms underlying these associations remain under investigation, research suggests that neuroinflammation and alterations in neurotransmitter systems are likely to play a role. Far from being harmless, subclinical toxoplasmosis is increasingly recognized as a hidden factor influencing human health, behavior, and cognitive performance-with implications that extend well beyond the individual to public health at large. Further research is warranted to elucidate the complex interplay between Toxoplasma infection, host physiology, and the development of various physical, cognitive, behavioral, and mental health conditions.

• Klíčová slova
• OCD, RhD, Rhesus D antigen, autism, evolution, intelligence, manipulation hypothesis, mental health, parasite, schizophrenia, subclinical toxoplasmosis, testosterone,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH

Factors which indicate lower life expectancy also induce switching to a faster life strategy, that is, a higher investment in current reproduction at the expense of future reproduction and body maintenance. We tested a hypothesis according to which impairment of individual health serves as a signal for switching to a faster life strategy using online-gathered data from 32,911 subjects. Worse health was associated with lower age at menarche and earlier initiation of sexual life in women and higher sexual desire and earlier reproduction in both sexes. Individuals with worse health also exhibited lower sexual activity, lower number of sexual partners, and lower total number of children. These results suggest that impaired health shifts individuals towards a faster life strategy but also has a negative (physiological) effect on behaviours related to sexual life. Signs of a faster life strategy were also found in Rh-negative men in good health, indicating that even just genetic predisposition to worse health could serve as a signal for switching to a faster life strategy. We suggest that improved public health in developed countries and the resulting shift to a slower life strategy could be the ultimate cause of the phenomenon of demographic transition.

• MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• libido fyziologie   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• menarche fyziologie   MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• rozmnožování fyziologie   MeSH
• sexuální chování fyziologie   MeSH
• věkové faktory MeSH
• zdravotní stav MeSH
• zvláštnosti životní historie MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

BACKGROUND: Since its discovery in the 1930s, the effects of Rh phenotype on human health and wellbeing, with the exception of the effects of Rh-negativity of a mother on the risk of hemolytic anemia of Rh-positive children, has only rarely been studied. In the last few years, however, several studies have shown that Rh-negative subjects have worse health and performance in certain tests than their Rh-positive peers. Nothing is known about the effect of Rh phenotype on the quality of life of subjects as measured by a standard instrument. METHODS: We hereby analyzed the data of 1768 male (24% Rh-negative) and 3759 female participants (23% Rh-negative) of an anonymous internet study using the partial Kendall test with the age and the population of the hometown of subjects controlled. RESULTS: The results showed that the Rh-negative women, but not men, scored worse in wellbeing measured with the WHO-BREFF. The Rh-negative men scored worse in mental health-related variables and in their reported economic situation and the Rh-negative women scored better in physical health-related variables. Both the Rh-negative men and women reported higher sexual activity than their Rh-positive peers. CONCLUSIONS: The effects of the Rh phenotype were significant after the correction for multiple tests. However, they were usually weaker and less numerous than those of smoking, consuming alcohol, and high body mass index, which were used as a sort of internal control.

• MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• duševní zdraví * MeSH
• fenotyp * MeSH
• fertilita * MeSH
• index tělesné hmotnosti MeSH
• krevní skupiny - systém Rh-Hr metabolismus   MeSH
• libido * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• průzkumy a dotazníky MeSH
• sexuální chování * MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• krevní skupiny - systém Rh-Hr MeSH