Scientists Discover a Virus That Changes the Brain To "Make Humans More Stupid"

concertina226 writes that researchers have found a virus that appears to reduce people’s thinking power and attention span. "Scientists at the Johns Hopkins Medical School and the University of Nebraska have discovered an algae virus that makes us more stupid by infecting our brains. The researchers were conducting a completely unrelated study into throat microbes when they realized that DNA in the throats of healthy people matched the DNA of a chlorovirus virus known as ATCV-1. ATCV-1 is a virus that infects the green algae found in freshwater lakes and ponds. It had previously been thought to be non-infectious to humans, but the scientists found that it actually affects cognitive functions in the brain by shortening attention span and causing a decrease in spatial awareness. For the first time ever, the researchers proved that microorganisms have the ability to trigger delicate physiological changes to the human body, without launching a full-blown attack on the human immune system."

Comments

Re:Virus Name

[fred911]

The Palin Syndrome

Re: All well and good, but...

[bill_mcgonigle]

Eat more real food and less carrageenan?

Maybe it's the Chinese

[Anonymous Coward]

Spatial reasoning is the one area where Caucasians completely trump Asians. They have nothing to lose with it's spread but we do.