Does helminth infection affect mental processing and educational achievement?

The evidence that implies a connection between intellectual dysfunction and the sequelae of infection is considered, the significance of correlations between infection and poor mental status, and finally the evidence from case-control and double-blind intervention studies are considered.

Abstract

In this article, Catherine Nokes and Donald Bundy reexamine the evidence linking intestinal helminth infection to impaired cognitive function and educational outcomes. They consider first the evidence that implies a connection between intellectual dysfunction and the sequelae of infection, then the significance of correlations between infection and poor mental status, and finally the evidence from case-control and double-blind intervention studies. The article is not intended as a comprehensive summary of all the research on helminth infection and mental function - indeed the majority of research undertaken in the early part of this century is not included - but rather as a thought provoking article to highlight the difficulties with interpreting existing data and to stimulate new interest in this field.