People eating each other recently

[Sarkoz]

I know many are due to bathsalts and hallucinations but something i read on the web regarding the so called future zombie invasion made me think.
Would it be possible for a scientist to find a part of the brain that's responsible for hallucinations and the construct a virus that targets this part of the brain and make them hallucinate and attack other humans in order to eat and kill them, or is this all too sci fi?

[Booldawg]

I doubt that would work. Even if you were able to target that part of the brain with a virus you wouldnt be able to control what type of hallicination people had.

I followed with interest the story of the Miami cannibal. Its worrying if their is a drug that gives people those intentions.

[Sarkoz]

Booldawg that would make sense. Back to the bathsalts is it giving people those intentions or was it just one case and the rest have had it put into their head?
If you or me took these bathsalts now because this story is in our head if we started hallucinating then maybe we would end up biting people unless this drug somehow targets a certain part of the brain which affects us in this way.
I'm not sure how these things work but will scientists be testing this theory and would they risk it with human trials in order to understand it?

[LazyGun]

@Sarkoz. There have been a spate of stories recently, thats true. But thats how the press works .... a story comes up that galvanises public opinion, and all of a sudden stories abound.

There have been 2, maybe 3 high profile stories of late, out of a global population of what, around 7 billion people? Seems unlikely to be the start of the zombie apocalypse, to me, although I suppose all apocalypes have to start somewhere......

The high profile reported cases differ in content too, and maybe motivation. On the one hand, we have the florida case - the attack and face-chewing incident. But was that attempted cannibalism or feral savagery induced by drugs?

Hallucination is a fairly specific term for a particular type of medical phenomenon linked to the visual brain, and through imaging techniques, is diffused across several areas of the brain, rather than just one localised area. Then you have the problem of just how you are imagining the virus is going to interact with the brain matter in order to create highly specific hallucinations as you describe - then you have to design a virus, or a delivery mechanism capable of crossing the blood- brain barrier.

All in all, far too sci-fi - worse, pretty implausible, I would have said. If you wanted a culprit to induce delusions, far better would be to concentrate on some sort of designer drug.......

[jomifl]

Some hallucinogens do give hallucinations of a particular kind rather than general hallucinations. There is a fairly common wild plant of which when the smoke from the toasted seeds is inhaled gives erotic hallucinations. It was allegedly used by 'witches' although I don't think the chatterbank coven requires any stimulus in that department.

[theprof]

I'm afraid jomifl that there is no scientific evidence that the anticholinergic tropane derivatives present in the plant you allude to induces erotic hallucinations in preference to general hallucinations. They were debunked in a study into these claims was carried out in Holland in the 1980's but pressure from certain quarters prevented publication of the study in reputable scientific journals although I'm told it has since been published online.

The effects of tropane derivatives have featured in numerous folklore tales for many centuries. Some of the most extraordinary claims involve the application of certain tropane containing salves called "flying ointments" to specific regions of the female body in order to cause and enhance the flight of witches. They make fascinating reading and have even been featured in the Harry Potter movies

[sandyRoe]

I wonder if these modern day cannibals, when they've come down from their highs, could confirm that human flesh has a taste similar to pork?

[boxtops]

Sarkoz, you ask some very interesting threads, did you find anywhere to buy your used electric chair?

[Zacs-Master]

Nah, more like alligator.

[humbersloop]

http://www.xdtalk.com...o-not-feed-trolls.jpg

[boxtops]

what have bath salts got to do with it?

[humbersloop]

the feral o...

..not allowed creatures eat them boxy, and inhabit rowan's spare bedroom.

[theprof]

Nanoparticles are currently another very promising method to cross the BBB for drug delivery. Nanoformulations of quantum rods and dots carrying drugs have targeted specific areas of the rodent brain in specific in vivo studies. However, there remains a complex issue of nanoparticle toxicity which has to be resolved before the technology can be advanced for use in the human body. My university medical school has been undertaking research into this very problem in conjunction with my biochemistry department.

Hallucinations are indeed diffused throughout a number of areas the brain and targeting specific regions would not be worthwhile if the aim was to deliver a psychotropic drug.

[craft1948]

I like you..............you're weird.

[humbersloop]

*HOW* many a day is that baby gittin' through craft??