Parasites and Free Will

McAuliffe, Kathleen.This Is Your Brain On Parasites: How Tiny Creatures Manipulate Our
      Behavior and Shape Society.  Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016.
      ISBN: 978-0-544-19222-5

Are you interested in learning about zombified cockroaches? How about suicidal ants?  Or maybe cat-loving mice?  Round worms in human, anyone?  If you answered yes any of these question or you just want to find out what is going on inside your body, read This Is Your Brain On Parasites.  You will be informed, maybe entertained, and likely creeped out.

McAuliffe opens the book with an Introduction on how she stumbled on this topic.  It was an Internet post about a single-celled parasite that targets rat brains and reverses their innate fear of cats into an attraction to cats.  The first five chapters concentrate on the negative affects parasites can have on their hosts.  These are the chapters that deal with zombified cockroaches, suicidal ants, cat-loving rats, and possible effect on humans.  Chapters 6, 7, and 8 examine gut bacteria and its effect on weight and emotions.  The final four chapters delve into more esoteric concerns such as disgust, prejudice, piety, and free will.

This Is Your Brain On Parasites is an interesting grab-bag of parasitical science research.  McAuliffe provides a readable discussion not just on the negative effects of  parasites, but also how they benefit their hosts and maybe have shaped human society.  If you are intrigued or freaked out by this research, read and become informed.