Entries by Cassie

Could a Parasite Really Cause Mental Illness?

Although it has historically been considered benign in mature human hosts, new research indicates that the parasitic microorganism, Toxoplasma gondii, may be linked to a whole host of mental illnesses including depression, schizophrenia, and bi-polar disorder.  It is thought that this parasite may interfere with the dopamine pathway in humans which can result in the aforementioned  mental […]

Blood Pressure Illusion

Almost a whole quarter of patients that visit the doctor and are told they may have chronic high blood pressure may be being misled. Studies show that for this 23%  of patients, blood pressure goes up significantly in clinical settings, a phenomenon called “white coat hypertension,” and may contribute to some misdiagnoses. What is the […]