what is the likelyhood of a virus/disease that could target and damage the higher functions of the human brain

Question

im thinking of conditions that would cause a human to resort to base animal instincts but on a global scale. something that would somehow damage the human brain in a way that cuts off the more intricate thought processes and leaves only base instincts and reactions.

im thinking of conditions that would cause a human to resort to base animal instincts but on a global scale. something that would somehow damage the human brain in a way that cuts off the more intricate thought processes and leaves only base instincts and reactions.

please keep unrelated comments off this. im looking for answers backed by science and medicine, not opinion

Answer 1

The only thing that I can think of is prion disease. This is not a virus but a protein. One form of prion diseas is "mad cow disease." In causes where people become infected with it, there is a rapid loss of higher brain function.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000788.htm

There is personality changes, speech impediments, profound confusion and disorientation. But it is not selective and it affects all level of brain function.

Answer 2

Virus or other infections do not cause permanent loss of "intellectual"functions of brain.
Basal (biological )urges appear first and disappear last in the evolutionary scale.
Loss of basic instincts technically can occur only when the race is to become extinct.

Answer 3

the way everything has been human beings are gonna create one so the likelyhood of it happening would be really extremlly possiable here in the near future

Answer 4

Yes , if we stay on the track we're on a by-product what we use and evolution to survive.

Answer 5

gasoline and money seem to work

Answer 6

none