TY - JOUR

T1 - Neural strategies in parasitic manipulation

AU - Миролюбов, Алексей Александрович

AU - Лянгузова, Анастасия Дмитриевна

AU - Libersat, Frederic

PY - 2025/9/1

Y1 - 2025/9/1

N2 - By localizing within the host nervous system, parasites gain a strategic foothold that facilitates precise manipulation of host behavior. Despite diverse mechanisms, unrelated metazoan taxa have convergently evolved to target similar neural pathways. Behavioral changes are sometimes dismissed as nonadaptive by-products of infection, particularly in understudied systems, making it difficult to identify true manipulation. However, growing evidence suggests that such by-products may serve as evolutionary precursors to adaptive strategies. In some groups, such as rhizocephalans, neural interaction appears fundamental to the evolution of the entire group. Recent advances are uncovering specific neural targets, molecular effectors, and precise timing of manipulation. As research moves beyond descriptive studies, parasite neuroscience promises new insights into brain function, evolutionary dynamics, and potential applications in bioengineering.

AB - By localizing within the host nervous system, parasites gain a strategic foothold that facilitates precise manipulation of host behavior. Despite diverse mechanisms, unrelated metazoan taxa have convergently evolved to target similar neural pathways. Behavioral changes are sometimes dismissed as nonadaptive by-products of infection, particularly in understudied systems, making it difficult to identify true manipulation. However, growing evidence suggests that such by-products may serve as evolutionary precursors to adaptive strategies. In some groups, such as rhizocephalans, neural interaction appears fundamental to the evolution of the entire group. Recent advances are uncovering specific neural targets, molecular effectors, and precise timing of manipulation. As research moves beyond descriptive studies, parasite neuroscience promises new insights into brain function, evolutionary dynamics, and potential applications in bioengineering.

KW - by-product of infection

KW - host-parasite manipulation

KW - nervous system

KW - parasites

KW - parasitoids

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/1be8e7e9-015a-3fac-8ed7-34c120dd4adb/

U2 - 10.1016/j.pt.2025.07.007

DO - 10.1016/j.pt.2025.07.007

M3 - Article

VL - 41

SP - 806

EP - 819

JO - Trends in Parasitology

JF - Trends in Parasitology

SN - 1471-4922

IS - 9

ER -