© Alamy
Cats could be making children stupid, according to research that links a parasite carried by the animals with falling reading and memory aptitude in young people.
A study has found performance at school could be affected by
Toxoplasma gondii, a single-celled organism that infects about a third of the world's population and hides in cells in the brain and muscles, often without producing symptoms.
Researchers found the parasite, which grows in the guts of cats and can be spread through contact with faeces, has been linked to reduced memory and reading skills in school-aged children.
Previous research had already linked the parasite to brain tumours in animals. There is also other evidence that
Toxoplasma gondii has effects on the brain leading to changes in behaviour.
However, the latest study by scientists at the University of Iowa and Florida International University suggests
Toxoplasma gondii could be having a greater impact than previously thought.
It suggests children who tested positive for the parasite had poorer reading and memory scores in cognitive test, but that vitamin E could help reduce the effects.
