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

Virus Name

[Anonymous Coward]

Fox News

Re:Virus Name

[Anonymous Coward]

The Palin Syndrome

a.k.a "The Palindrome" :)

First time?

[K. S. Kyosuke]

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.

The first? What about Toxoplasma gondii ?

Real article is here

[__aaltlg1547]

http://www.pnas.org/content/ea...

It explains that they measured the cognitive differences between infected and non-infected people, and how, which wasn't addressed in the clickbait summary.

So...

[king neckbeard]

It looks like stupidity may be contagious after all.