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Background: Behavioral changes in Rattus norvegicus infected with two strains of Toxoplasma gondii (ME49 and VEG) were investigated.Methods: Rats were evaluated for motor activity and aversion or attraction to cat urine 60 days after infection. After euthanasia, argininevasopressin gene methylation in the central nervous system was evaluated.Results: A significant difference was observed in the methylation of the arginine-vasopressin promoter gene between rats infected with the ME49 and VEG strains.Conclusions: Although differences were not observed in many parameters, significant differences were observed in the methylation of the arginine-vasopressin promoter gene in rats infected with the two studied strains.