Tag Archives: university of leeds research
A parasite can directly alter the brain chemistry of mammalian
An investigation revealed that infection by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii is capable; when it reaches the brain, directly affect the production of dopamine, a key chemical messenger in the brain. The study also provides potential clues about the statistical relationship observed between the incidence of schizophrenia and toxoplasmosis infections.
One third of the human population is infected with Toxoplasma gondii, but most do not. Although Toxoplasma causes no symptoms in most people, it can be harmful for individuals with severely weakened immune systems and for fetuses whose mothers were infected during pregnancy.
A Composite That Could Be Crucial To the First Forms of Life
Researchers at the University of Leeds have found new clues about the origins of life on Earth. The team has discovered that a compound known as pyrophosphite may have been an important source of energy for primitive forms of life.
There are several theories about how life appeared on Earth from inanimate matter billions of years ago. As indicated by Terry Kee from Leeds University, who led the research, it is a question as the egg and chicken. Scientists are not in agreement on what came first, if the replication or metabolism. But there is a third element in this dilemma, and energy.