Link to article: SCP-8719.
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===== [[include component:preview text= SCP-8719 is a parasite which inhibits human fear responses by attacking the amygdala and hypothalamus. ]] ===== [[include :scp-wiki:theme:classic]] [[>]] [[module Rate]] [[/>]] **Item #:** SCP-8719 **Object Class:** Euclid **Special Containment Procedures:** Antibody tests have been added to safety panels for livestock processing, blood transfusion and tissue donation. Major outbreaks must be traced for culling. **Description:** SCP-8719 is a parasite which inhibits human fear responses by attacking the amygdala and hypothalamus. It reproduces asexually in most mammals, but only causes behavioral changes in //Homo sapiens//. Risk factors include tainted blood, organ transplants, and undercooked meat. After a variable incubation period, symptoms develop in phases: * Stage 1 -- lessened anxiety, reduced inhibitions, and increased pleasure-seeking behavior. Peers often perceive this as a positive development, complicating diagnosis. * Stage 2 -- diminished reactions to common warning stimuli: bright light, heat, noise, and social cues, particularly discomfort and pain. Depending on context, this may register as rudeness, overconfidence, zealotry, and/or exceptional bravery. * Stage 3 -- subjects are completely inured to fear, incapable of forming or retrieving related emotional memories. They frequently attempt physical contact with objects of interest, including lethal hazards, resulting in death. SCP-8719 is present in approximately 6% of the global population. Although Stage 1 infections can be treated with antibiotics, all neurological damage is irreversible. Dr. Nelson has noted similarities between SCP-8719 and //Toxoplasma gondii//, which reproduces asexually within intermediate hosts (behavior-modified prey rodents) but undergoes full sexual reproduction in definitive hosts (feline predators). As of yet, the definitive hosts for SCP-8719 (designated SCP-8719-1) have not been identified. [[div class="footer-wikiwalk-nav"]] [[=]] << [[[SCP-8718]]] | SCP-8719 | [[[SCP-8720]]] >> [[/=]] [[/div]]