Version 1
: Received: 24 March 2023 / Approved: 27 March 2023 / Online: 27 March 2023 (03:43:57 CEST)
How to cite:
Sastry, A.; Jimenez Jr, V.M. Associations between Drugs of Abuse and Toxoplasma gondii Infection. Preprints2023, 2023030439. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202303.0439.v1
Sastry, A.; Jimenez Jr, V.M. Associations between Drugs of Abuse and Toxoplasma gondii Infection. Preprints 2023, 2023030439. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202303.0439.v1
Sastry, A.; Jimenez Jr, V.M. Associations between Drugs of Abuse and Toxoplasma gondii Infection. Preprints2023, 2023030439. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202303.0439.v1
APA Style
Sastry, A., & Jimenez Jr, V.M. (2023). Associations between Drugs of Abuse and<em> Toxoplasma gondii</em> Infection. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202303.0439.v1
Chicago/Turabian Style
Sastry, A. and Victor M. Jimenez Jr. 2023 "Associations between Drugs of Abuse and<em> Toxoplasma gondii</em> Infection" Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202303.0439.v1
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is one of the most common parasites that infect humans. The parasite exists in approximately 40 million people in the United States. Latent infections are frequently associated with tissue cysts of T. gondii in the skeletal muscle and brain tissue that can lead to mental disorders, congenital disorders, and vision dysfunction. Furthermore, self-directed violence, impulsivity, and aggression are associated with T. gondii infection. Dopamine is associated with human behavior including pleasure, aggression, memory, and substance use disorder; however, the result of the studies on the association of T. gondii infection and drugs of abuse are not well understood. The frequency of substance use may be associated with substance-induced modification of dopamine-receptor densities and basal dopaminergic activity. Likewise, T. gondii can directly or indirectly influence dopaminergic activity in infected cells. Based on this hypothesis, the current paper aimed to systematically review all published literature on the association between drugs of abuse and T. gondii infection. Systematic review of controlled studies on T. gondii infection and substance use effects in adults were searched on the electronic databases. Studies have shown that individuals infected with T. gondii display increased risky behavior, such as excessive alcohol consumption. Furthermore, it was observed that T. gondii seropositive subjects had a reduced likelihood of self-reported substance use compared to T. gondii seronegative subjects. This study confirms that SUD is a potential risk factor for behavioral and psychiatric complications associated with T. gondii infection. Ultimately T. gondii infection in the context of drug dependence and the development of SUD remain to be elucidated. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct further research characterizing the mechanisms associated with dopamine metabolism of drug dependence and withdrawal in the context of a T. gondii infection, evaluating the role of inflammation, and identifying potential drug-and-sex specific underpinnings of these associations.
Keywords
Drugs of abuse; Toxoplasma gondii; Substance Use Disorder
Subject
Medicine and Pharmacology, Medicine and Pharmacology
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
