ZOMBIE BRAINS: MICROBIAL MIND CONTROL

Are you in control your behavior or are microbes manipulating your mind? Microorganisms living in our bodies (aka the microbiome) have critical effects on human health and behavior, for better or for worse. Mind-manipulation by microbes is most gruesome in ecosystems where zombie fungi control the moribund behaviors of the unsuspecting insect hosts.

Transcript

1. ZOMBIE BRAINS:
   MICROBIAL MIND CONTROL
   RAYNA HARRIS
   TWITTER @raynamharris
   ARE YOU IN CONTROL OF YOUR
   BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR?
   

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2. JOSEPH
   PALMER
   NARRATING A DAVID
   ATTENBOROUGH FILM IN
   THE VOICE OF TOM WAITS
   RAYNA
   HARRIS
   SCIENTIST AND
   TEACHER
   @raynamharris
   

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3. image by Andy Taylor
   MICROBIOME: ALL MICROSCOPIC
   ORGANISMS IN THE BODY
   image by Jenna Luecke
   image by Jon Berkeley
   

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4. HOST-
   PARASITES
   photo by Alex Wild
   

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5. HOST-
   PARASITES
   photo by Alex Wild
   image from
   UCLA Microbiome Center
   GUT
   MICROBIOME
   

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6. HOST-
   PARASITES
   photo by Alex Wild
   image from
   UCLA Microbiome Center
   GUT
   MICROBIOME
   art by Laura Zombie
   SOCIAL
   BEHAVIOR
   

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7. Local photographer Alex Wild
   WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE
   

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8. DEADLY FUNGUS-INSECT
   INTERACTIONS
   ATTACK OF THE KILLER FUNGI
   PLANET EARTH ATTENBOROUGH BBC WILDLIFE
   

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9. DEADLY FUNGUS-INSECT
   INTERACTIONS
   ATTACK OF THE KILLER FUNGI
   PLANET EARTH ATTENBOROUGH BBC WILDLIFE
   

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10. THE MICROBE CONTROLED
    DEATH SEQUENCE
    ATTACK OF THE KILLER FUNGI
    PLANET EARTH ATTENBOROUGH BBC WILDLIFE
    

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11. THE MICROBE CONTROLED
    DEATH SEQUENCE
    ATTACK OF THE KILLER FUNGI
    PLANET EARTH ATTENBOROUGH BBC WILDLIFE
    

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12. Elya et al 2017 BioRxiv
    THE MICROBE-
    CONTROLED DEATH POSE
    

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13. Elya et al 2017 BioRxiv
    PARASITIC FUNGI
    TAKING OVER
    FLY BODY AND BRAIN
    REAL ZOMBIE FLY RESEARCH!
    

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14. Elya et al 2017 BioRxiv
    PARASITIC FUNGI
    TAKING OVER
    FLY BODY AND BRAIN
    REAL ZOMBIE FLY RESEARCH!
    Photo: Julie Simpson Lab
    

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15. Elya et al 2017 BioRxiv
    PARASITIC FUNGI
    TAKING OVER
    FLY BODY AND BRAIN
    REAL ZOMBIE FLY RESEARCH!
    Photo: Julie Simpson Lab
    photo from @mad_scientits
    

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16. GUT
    MICROBIOMES
    CHANGE FOR
    BETTER OR
    WORSE
    image from Mayo Clinic
    

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17. MOM’S
    MILK
    FEEDS
    BABY’S
    MICROBES
    Ed Yong July 22, 2016
    The NewYorker
    image by Rachel Levit Ruiz
    

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18. Clarke et al 2014
    Molecular Endocrinology
    Koren et al 2012
    Cell
    MICROBIOME TRANSPLANTS
    CAN ALTER BODY WEIGHT
    

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19. Nature News 2015
    GUT-BRAIN
    INFLUENCE
    

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20. Nature News 2015
    GUT-BRAIN
    INFLUENCE
    appetite
    cognition
    digestion
    locomotion
    memory
    mood
    social behavior
    sexual desire
    sleep
    

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21. MOUTH TO MOUTH
    HORIZONTAL
    GENE TRANSFER
    art by Laura Zombie
    

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22. IS AN
    INFECTIOUS
    DISEASE
    MANIPULATING
    THIS
    BEHAVIOR?
    art by ben zhu
    

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23. ATTACK OF THE KILLER FUNGI
    PLANET EARTH ATTENBOROUGH BBC WILDLIFE
    WHY KILL THE ZOMBIE HOST
    RATHER THAN THE PARASITE?
    

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24. ATTACK OF THE KILLER FUNGI
    PLANET EARTH ATTENBOROUGH BBC WILDLIFE
    WHY KILL THE ZOMBIE HOST
    RATHER THAN THE PARASITE?
    

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25. ATTACK OF THE KILLER FUNGI
    PLANET EARTH ATTENBOROUGH BBC WILDLIFE
    INFECTED HOSTS FEAR
    EVICTION AND DEATH
    

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26. WOMEN BREAK THE SILENCE
    AROUND WORKPLACE CULTURE
    photo by Billy &
    Hells for TIME
    art by For All Womankind
    

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27. HOST-
    PARASITES
    photo by Alex Wild
    image from
    UCLA Microbiome Center
    GUT
    MICROBIOME
    art by Laura Zombie
    SOCIAL
    BEHAVIOR
    

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28. AWESOME RESOURCES
    

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29. THANKS FOR LISTENING
    RAYNA HARRIS
    TWITTER @raynamharris
    

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