1
|
Pre-weaning social behaviours and peripheral serotonin levels are associated with behavioural and physiological responses to weaning and social mixing in pigs. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2023.105833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
|
2
|
Schmucker S, Preisler V, Marr I, Krüger K, Stefanski V. Single housing but not changes in group composition causes stress-related immunomodulations in horses. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0272445. [PMID: 35976860 PMCID: PMC9385002 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0272445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Domestic horses are currently often subject to management practices that can entail social stressors, which in turn can negatively influence immunocompetence and disease susceptibility.
The present study therefore aimed to characterize the number of various blood leukocyte subsets in horses, focusing on two potentially stressful housing environments: changes in group composition and relocation to individual stabling. Immune measurements were conducted before as well as one and eight days after changes were made. They were complemented by an assessment of plasma cortisol concentrations as well as behavioral observations. One and eight days after relocation to single housing, the mean numbers of eosinophils, T helper cells and cytotoxic T cells decreased by up to 31%, 20% and 22% respectively, whereas the mean numbers of neutrophils increased by 25%. In contrast, one and eight days after changes in group composition not only the mean number of neutrophils, but also of monocytes, T helper cells and cytotoxic T cells increased by up to 24%, 17%, 9%, and 15% respectively. In consequence, an increase in the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio indicating stress-induced immune modulation was found after relocation to single housing, but not after changes in group composition. The changes in leukocyte numbers after relocation to single housing were accompanied by a transient increase in cortisol concentrations after one day and the occurrence of disturbed behavior patterns one week after change in housing condition. In contrast, changes in group composition did not result in an increase of cortisol concentrations or in an increase of aggressive interactions. The results strongly indicate that individual stabling is an intense stressor leading to acute and lasting alterations in blood counts of various leukocyte types. The study highlights a probable negative impact of single housing on welfare and health of horses and an advantage of group housing systems in view of immunocompetence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sonja Schmucker
- Behavioral Physiology of Livestock, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Vanessa Preisler
- Behavioral Physiology of Livestock, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Isabell Marr
- Equine Economics, Faculty Agriculture, Economics and Management, Nuertingen-Geislingen University, Nuertingen, Germany
| | - Konstanze Krüger
- Equine Economics, Faculty Agriculture, Economics and Management, Nuertingen-Geislingen University, Nuertingen, Germany
| | - Volker Stefanski
- Behavioral Physiology of Livestock, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Abuaish S, Lavergne SG, Hing B, St-Cyr S, Spinieli RL, Boonstra R, McGowan PO. Sex-specific maternal programming of corticosteroid-binding globulin by predator odour. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20211908. [PMID: 34847769 PMCID: PMC8634628 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.1908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Predation is a key organizing force in ecosystems. The threat of predation may act to programme the endocrine hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis during development to prepare offspring for the environment they are likely to encounter. Such effects are typically investigated through the measurement of corticosteroids (Cort). Corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG) plays a key role in regulating the bioavailability of Cort, with only free unbound Cort being biologically active. We investigated the effects of prenatal predator odour exposure (POE) in mice on offspring CBG and its impact on Cort dynamics before, during and after restraint stress in adulthood. POE males, but not females, had significantly higher serum CBG at baseline and during restraint and lower circulating levels of Free Cort. Restraint stress was associated with reduced liver transcript abundance of SerpinA6 (CBG-encoding gene) only in control males. POE did not affect SerpinA6 promoter DNA methylation. Our results indicate that prenatal exposure to a natural stressor led to increased CBG levels, decreased per cent of Free Cort relative to total and inhibited restraint stress-induced downregulation of CBG transcription. These changes suggest an adaptive response to a high predator risk environment in males but not females that could buffer male offspring from chronic Cort exposure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sameera Abuaish
- Department of Basic Sciences, College of Medicine, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, PO Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Biological Sciences and Centre for Environmental Epigenetics and Development, University of Toronto Scarborough Campus, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Departments of Cell and Systems Biology, Psychology, and Physiology, University of Toronto, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sophia G. Lavergne
- Department of Biological Sciences and Centre for Environmental Epigenetics and Development, University of Toronto Scarborough Campus, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Benjamin Hing
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, 51 Newton Road, Bowen Science Building 6-509, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Sophie St-Cyr
- Department of Biological Sciences and Centre for Environmental Epigenetics and Development, University of Toronto Scarborough Campus, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Departments of Cell and Systems Biology, Psychology, and Physiology, University of Toronto, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- The Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Richard L. Spinieli
- Psychobiology Graduate Program, School of Philosophy, Science and Literature of Ribeirão Preto of the University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rudy Boonstra
- Department of Biological Sciences and Centre for Environmental Epigenetics and Development, University of Toronto Scarborough Campus, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Patrick O. McGowan
- Department of Biological Sciences and Centre for Environmental Epigenetics and Development, University of Toronto Scarborough Campus, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Departments of Cell and Systems Biology, Psychology, and Physiology, University of Toronto, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Hofmann T, Schmucker S, Grashorn M, Stefanski V. Short- and long-term consequences of stocking density during rearing on the immune system and welfare of laying hens. Poult Sci 2021; 100:101243. [PMID: 34175797 PMCID: PMC8253997 DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2021.101243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Already during early life, chickens need to cope with chronic stressors that can impair their health and welfare, with stocking density being one of the most influential factors. Nevertheless, there is a gap in research on the influence of stocking density on laying hens during rearing and in the subsequent laying period. This study therefore investigated how stocking density during rearing affects the immune system and welfare of pullets, and whether effects are persistent later in life. Pullets were reared at either low (13 birds/m2) or high (23 birds/m2) stocking densities but in identical group sizes from wk 7 to 17. Afterward, hens were kept at the same stocking density (2.4 birds/m2) until wk 28. Blood and tissue samples (spleen and cecal tonsils) were collected at the end of the rearing period and in the laying period. The parameters evaluated encompassed number and distribution of leukocytes and lymphocyte subsets in blood and lymphatic tissue, lymphocyte functionality, plasma corticosterone concentrations as well as behavior and physical appearance of hens. At the end of rearing, pullets kept under high stocking density had lower numbers of T lymphocytes, especially γδ T cells in blood, spleen, and cecal tonsils and displayed a higher heterophil to lymphocyte ratio. These effects are mostly persistent during the laying period, although stocking density was identical at this time. Furthermore, birds from the high stocking density group showed less active behavior, more pecking behavior and worse physical appearance throughout both examination periods. In conclusion, stocking density during rearing affects pullets' immune system and behavior not only in the rearing, but also subsequently in the laying period, indicating a strong correlation between health and welfare during rearing and the laying period.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tanja Hofmann
- Behavioral Physiology of Livestock, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstr. 17, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany.
| | - Sonja Schmucker
- Behavioral Physiology of Livestock, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstr. 17, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Michael Grashorn
- Livestock Population Genomics, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstr. 17, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Volker Stefanski
- Behavioral Physiology of Livestock, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstr. 17, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Steybe L, Kress K, Schmucker S, Stefanski V. Impact of Housing Condition on Welfare and Behavior of Immunocastrated Fattening Pigs ( Sus scrofa domestica). Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11030618. [PMID: 33652799 PMCID: PMC7996791 DOI: 10.3390/ani11030618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 02/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary This study aimed to analyze if the well-known positive effects of immunocastration on the behavior and welfare of pigs are robust to varying environments. One hundred forty-four male pigs were studied with regard to their sex category (EM: entire males, IC: immunocastrates, BA: barrows) and housing environment (ENR: enriched, STD: standard, MIX: repeated social mixing). The second (=effective) vaccination was administered to the immunocastrates 5 or 6 weeks before slaughter according to the standard protocol. Regardless of housing conditions, beneficial effects of immunocastration on a reduction in undesired agonistic and sexual behavior, including penis biting and penile injuries, were observed. Enriched housing showed a beneficial effect on play, whereas the social mixing environment reduced the number of social nosing events. The novel result is that the beneficial effects of immunocastration on behavioral and welfare aspects apply independent from the housing environments assessed in this study. Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate whether the well-known positive effects of immunocastration on the behavior and welfare of pigs persist under varying environments. One hundred forty-four male pigs were studied with regard to their sex category (EM: entire males, IC: immunocastrates, BA: barrows) and housing environment (ENR: enriched, STD: standard, MIX: repeated social mixing). The vaccination of immunocastrates included two injections at the age of 12 and 22 weeks. Regardless of the housing conditions, frequencies of sexual and fighting behavior expressed by immunocastrates shifted from boar-like to barrow-like behavior after the second immunocastration vaccination (Mixed model analysis, p < 0.05). Penis biting decreased in IC after the second vaccination (Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, p = 0.036) and penile injuries were lower in IC animals compared to EM (Mixed model analysis, p < 0.001). Housing-dependent effects on behavior could also be observed in the animals at a relatively young age. Enriched housing showed a beneficial effect on play behavior (Chi-square test, p < 0.001) and the social mixing environment reduced the number of social nosing events (Mixed model analysis, p < 0.05). The positive effects of immunocastration thus are robust to all housing conditions assessed in this study.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Linda Steybe
- Department of Behavioral Physiology of Livestock, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstraße 17, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany or (K.K.); (S.S.); (V.S.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Kevin Kress
- Department of Behavioral Physiology of Livestock, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstraße 17, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany or (K.K.); (S.S.); (V.S.)
- German Genetic, Schweinezuchtverband Baden-Wuerttemberg e.V., Im Wolfer 10, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Sonja Schmucker
- Department of Behavioral Physiology of Livestock, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstraße 17, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany or (K.K.); (S.S.); (V.S.)
| | - Volker Stefanski
- Department of Behavioral Physiology of Livestock, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstraße 17, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany or (K.K.); (S.S.); (V.S.)
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Kress K, Weiler U, Schmucker S, Čandek-Potokar M, Vrecl M, Fazarinc G, Škrlep M, Batorek-Lukač N, Stefanski V. Influence of Housing Conditions on Reliability of Immunocastration and Consequences for Growth Performance of Male Pigs. Animals (Basel) 2019; 10:ani10010027. [PMID: 31877705 PMCID: PMC7022942 DOI: 10.3390/ani10010027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Surgical castration of male piglets is societally criticized as it is painful and violates the integrity of the animals. Pork production with boars and immunocastrates are possible alternatives. Even if immunocastration is an animal-welfare-friendly alternative, its market share is low and the reliability of this technique is discussed controversially within the pork chain. Currently, the number and the reason for non-responders to vaccination are not clear. Various factors may contribute to impaired immune response including adverse and stressful housing conditions. This study, therefore, examines the influence of different housing conditions on the immune response after two Improvac® vaccinations. To determine vaccination success, testosterone concentrations, GnRH-binding, and boar taint compounds were evaluated. Furthermore, the growth performance of male pigs was compared. The results show that immunocastration is reliable under different housing systems and prevents boar taint. Moreover, the growth performance of immunocastrates is high and even superior to that of boars and barrows after the 2nd vaccination. Accordingly, immunocastration is not only animal-welfare-friendly but also economically attractive and suitable for different housing systems. Abstract Immunocastration is a sustainable alternative to piglet castration but faces limited market acceptance. The phenomenon of non-responders has not to date been examined in detail, but adverse and stressful housing conditions (e.g., mixing of groups) might impair the success of vaccinations. Therefore, we evaluated the influence of housing conditions on the immune response after two Improvac® vaccinations at an age of 12 and 22 weeks, respectively. Boars, immunocastrates and barrows (n = 48 each) were assigned to three different housing conditions (n = 36 enriched, n = 36 standard n = 72 repeated social mixing). Immune response was quantified by measuring GnRH-binding and its consequences for testosterone concentrations, development of the genital tract and boar taint. Growth performance was evaluated via average daily gain (ADG). GnRH-binding and testosterone levels revealed that immunocastration reliably suppressed testicular functions after the 2nd vaccination. Housing conditions did not modify testicular function but influenced ADG as animals under mixing grew slower than those under enriched conditions. Gonadal status had only a slight impact on ADG except in immunocastrates, which showed a temporarily higher ADG after the 2nd vaccination. The results show that immunocastration is a reliable procedure under different housing conditions and competitive in terms of growth performance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Kress
- Department of Behavioral Physiology of Livestock, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstraße 17, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany; (U.W.); (S.S.); (V.S.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-711-459-22536
| | - Ulrike Weiler
- Department of Behavioral Physiology of Livestock, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstraße 17, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany; (U.W.); (S.S.); (V.S.)
| | - Sonja Schmucker
- Department of Behavioral Physiology of Livestock, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstraße 17, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany; (U.W.); (S.S.); (V.S.)
| | - Marjeta Čandek-Potokar
- KIS–Agricultural Institute of Slovenia, Hacquetova ulica 17, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (M.Č.-P.); (M.Š.); (N.B.-L.)
| | - Milka Vrecl
- Veterinary Faculty, Institute of Preclinical Sciences, University of Ljubljana, Gerbičeva 60, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (M.V.); (G.F.)
| | - Gregor Fazarinc
- Veterinary Faculty, Institute of Preclinical Sciences, University of Ljubljana, Gerbičeva 60, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (M.V.); (G.F.)
| | - Martin Škrlep
- KIS–Agricultural Institute of Slovenia, Hacquetova ulica 17, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (M.Č.-P.); (M.Š.); (N.B.-L.)
| | - Nina Batorek-Lukač
- KIS–Agricultural Institute of Slovenia, Hacquetova ulica 17, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (M.Č.-P.); (M.Š.); (N.B.-L.)
| | - Volker Stefanski
- Department of Behavioral Physiology of Livestock, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstraße 17, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany; (U.W.); (S.S.); (V.S.)
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Alcala RS, Caliva JM, Flesia AG, Marin RH, Kembro JM. Aggressive dominance can decrease behavioral complexity on subordinates through synchronization of locomotor activities. Commun Biol 2019; 2:467. [PMID: 31872072 PMCID: PMC6908596 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-019-0710-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Social environments are known to influence behavior. Moreover, within small social groups, dominant/subordinate relationships frequently emerge. Dominants can display aggressive behaviors towards subordinates and sustain priority access to resources. Herein, Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) were used, given that they establish hierarchies through frequent aggressive interactions. We apply a combination of different mathematical tools to provide a precise quantification of the effect of social environments and the consequence of dominance at an individual level on the temporal dynamics of behavior. Main results show that subordinates performed locomotion dynamics with stronger long-range positive correlations in comparison to birds that receive few or no aggressions from conspecifics (more random dynamics). Dominant birds and their subordinates also showed a high level of synchronization in the locomotor pattern, likely emerging from the lack of environmental opportunities to engage in independent behavior. Findings suggest that dominance can potentially modulate behavioral dynamics through synchronization of locomotor activities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rocio Soledad Alcala
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de los Alimentos (ICTA), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Jorge Martin Caliva
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de los Alimentos (ICTA), Córdoba, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas (IIByT, CONICET-UNC), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Ana Georgina Flesia
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Matemática, Astronomía y Física, Córdoba, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios de Matemática (CIEM, CONICET), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Raul Hector Marin
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de los Alimentos (ICTA), Córdoba, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas (IIByT, CONICET-UNC), Córdoba, Argentina
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Catedra de Química Biológica, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Jackelyn Melissa Kembro
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de los Alimentos (ICTA), Córdoba, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas (IIByT, CONICET-UNC), Córdoba, Argentina
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Catedra de Química Biológica, Córdoba, Argentina
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Korean Red Ginseng reduces chronic social defeat stress-induced mood disorders via N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor modulation in mice. J Ginseng Res 2019; 45:254-263. [PMID: 33841006 PMCID: PMC8020286 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgr.2019.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Revised: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background A chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) model has been proposed as relevant to stress-induced behavioral change in humans. In this study, we examined the effect of Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) on CSDS-induced mood disorders and protein expression in an animal model. Methods To evaluate the effect of KRG on social defeat stress, test mice were exposed in the resident aggressor's home cage compartment for 14 days beginning 1 h after KRG treatment (10, 20, and 40 mg/kg, per oral (p.o.)). After the exposure, behavioral tests to measure anxiety, social interaction, and depression-like behavior were performed. To investigate the underlying mechanism, N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor expression levels in CSDS-induced mice were evaluated using Western blot analysis. Results CSDS induced anxiety-like behaviors by decreasing central activity in the open-field test and open-arm approach in the elevated plus maze test and led to social avoidance behavior in the social interaction test. CSDS mice showed upregulated NR1, NR2A, and NR2B expression in the hippocampus. KRG 20 and 40 mg/kg ameliorated anxiety-like activities and KRG 20 mg/kg alleviated social avoidance by decreasing time in the corner zone. KRG treatment recovered CSDS-induced NR1, NR2A, and NR2B protein levels in the hippocampus. Conclusion These results indicate that KRG has a therapeutic effect on CSDS-induced mood disorder by alleviating N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor overexpression in the hippocampus.
Collapse
|
9
|
Schalk C, Pfaffinger B, Schmucker S, Weiler U, Stefanski V. Pregnancy-Associated Alterations of Peripheral Blood Immune Cell Numbers in Domestic Sows Are Modified by Social Rank. Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:E112. [PMID: 30909543 PMCID: PMC6466169 DOI: 10.3390/ani9030112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2019] [Revised: 03/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
During pregnancy, the maternal immune system is characterized by a shift from adaptive to innate immune functions. Besides, the immune system can be influenced by social rank. Detailed knowledge of pregnancy-associated immune changes and of the interplay of rank-associated and gestation-induced immunomodulations is still fragmentary in sows. This study investigates both the numbers of various blood leukocyte subpopulations during pregnancy and the influence of social rank position on progressing pregnancy-associated alterations in group-housed sows. Sows were classified as low (LR), middle (MR), or high-ranking (HR). Five blood samples were collected from each of the 35 sows throughout pregnancy to evaluate the distribution of blood lymphocyte subpopulations and plasma cortisol concentrations. The numbers of T, natural killer (NK), and B cells, cytotoxic T cells (CTL), and CD8⁺ γδ- T cells decreased during the last trimester of pregnancy, while neutrophils and plasma cortisol concentration increased before parturition. Social rank revealed different effects on B cells and monocytes with MR sows showing higher numbers than LR sows. Plasma cortisol concentrations also tended to be higher in MR sows as compared to LR sows. In conclusion, sows show pregnancy-associated alterations in the immune system, which are influenced by social rank, as middle-ranking sows in particular display signs of stress-induced immunomodulations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christiane Schalk
- Department of Behavioral Physiology of Livestock, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstr 17, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany.
| | - Birgit Pfaffinger
- Department of Behavioral Physiology of Livestock, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstr 17, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany.
| | - Sonja Schmucker
- Department of Behavioral Physiology of Livestock, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstr 17, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany.
| | - Ulrike Weiler
- Department of Behavioral Physiology of Livestock, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstr 17, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany.
| | - Volker Stefanski
- Department of Behavioral Physiology of Livestock, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstr 17, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Schalk C, Pfaffinger B, Schmucker S, Weiler U, Stefanski V. Effects of repeated social mixing on behavior and blood immune cells of group-housed pregnant sows (Sus scrofa domestica). Livest Sci 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2018.09.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
|
11
|
Abstract
This review summarises the evidence that chronic low grade inflammation triggers changes that contribute to the mental and physical ill health of patients with major depression. Inflammation, and the activation of the hypothalamic pituitary axis by stress, are normal components of the stress response but when stress is prolonged and the endocrine and immune system become chronic resulting in the activation of the peripheral macrophages, the central microglia and hypercortisolemia, the neuronal networks are damaged and become dysfunctional. The proinflammatory cytokines, in addition to activating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and thereby increasing cortisol synthesis, also activate the tryptophan-kynurenine pathway. This results in the synthesis of the neurotoxic N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate agonist quinolinic acid and 3-hydroxykynurenine thereby enhancing oxidative stress and contributes to neurodegeneration which characterise major depression particularly in late life.While antidepressants attenuate some of the endocrine and immune changes caused by inflammation, not all therapeutically effective antidepressants do so. This suggests that drugs which specifically target the immune, endocrine and neurotransmitter systems may be more effective antidepressants.The preliminary clinical evidence that some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as the cyclooxygenase 2 inhibitor celecoxib, can enhance the response to standard antidepressant treatment is therefore considered and a critical assessment made of the possible limitations of such an approach to novel antidepressant development.
Collapse
|
12
|
Ali AA, Ahmed HI, Barakat BM, Elariny HA. Impact of Sensory Contact Model on Psychosocial Stress and Correlation with Immunological Changes. JOURNAL OF EXPLORATORY RESEARCH IN PHARMACOLOGY 2018; 3:19-29. [DOI: 10.14218/jerp.2017.00017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
|
13
|
Beyer DKE, Freund N. Animal models for bipolar disorder: from bedside to the cage. Int J Bipolar Disord 2017; 5:35. [PMID: 29027157 PMCID: PMC5638767 DOI: 10.1186/s40345-017-0104-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2017] [Accepted: 09/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Bipolar disorder is characterized by recurrent manic and depressive episodes. Patients suffering from this disorder experience dramatic mood swings with a wide variety of typical behavioral facets, affecting overall activity, energy, sexual behavior, sense of self, self-esteem, circadian rhythm, cognition, and increased risk for suicide. Effective treatment options are limited and diagnosis can be complicated. To overcome these obstacles, a better understanding of the neurobiology underlying bipolar disorder is needed. Animal models can be useful tools in understanding brain mechanisms associated with certain behavior. The following review discusses several pathological aspects of humans suffering from bipolar disorder and compares these findings with insights obtained from several animal models mimicking diverse facets of its symptomatology. Various sections of the review concentrate on specific topics that are relevant in human patients, namely circadian rhythms, neurotransmitters, focusing on the dopaminergic system, stressful environment, and the immune system. We then explain how these areas have been manipulated to create animal models for the disorder. Even though several approaches have been conducted, there is still a lack of adequate animal models for bipolar disorder. Specifically, most animal models mimic only mania or depression and only a few include the cyclical nature of the human condition. Future studies could therefore focus on modeling both episodes in the same animal model to also have the possibility to investigate the switch from mania-like behavior to depressive-like behavior and vice versa. The use of viral tools and a focus on circadian rhythms and the immune system might make the creation of such animal models possible.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dominik K. E. Beyer
- Experimental and Molecular Psychiatry, LWL University Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Nadja Freund
- Experimental and Molecular Psychiatry, LWL University Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Spleen contributes to restraint stress induced changes in blood leukocytes distribution. Sci Rep 2017; 7:6501. [PMID: 28747688 PMCID: PMC5529540 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-06956-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2017] [Accepted: 06/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Psychological stress has great impacts on the immune system, particularly the leukocytes distribution. Although the impacts of acute stress on blood leukocytes distribution are well studied, however, it remains unclear how chronic stress affects leukocytes distribution in peripheral circulation. Furthermore, there is no report about the role of spleen in the blood leukocytes distribution induced by stress. Here we show that spleen contributes to the alteration of restraint stress induced blood leukocytes distribution. Our data confirmed that restraint stress induced anxiety-like behavior in mice. Furthermore, we found that restraint stress decreased the CD4/CD8 ratio and elevated the percentages of natural killer cells, monocytes and polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cell. We demonstrated that activation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) and sympathetic nervous system (SNS) contributes to restraint stress induced alteration of blood leukocyte distribution. Interestingly, we found that splenectomy could reverse the change of CD4/CD8 ratio induced by restraint stress. Together, our findings suggest that activation of HPA axis and SNS was responsible for the blood leukocyte subsets changes induced by restraint stress. Spleen, at least in part, contributed to the alteration in peripheral circulation induced by restraint stress.
Collapse
|
15
|
Personality modulates proportions of CD4 + regulatory and effector T cells in response to socially induced stress in a rodent of wild origin. Physiol Behav 2016; 167:255-264. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2016.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2016] [Revised: 09/02/2016] [Accepted: 09/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
|
16
|
Stress-induced alterations in estradiol sensitivity increase risk for obesity in women. Physiol Behav 2016; 166:56-64. [PMID: 27182047 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2016.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2015] [Revised: 04/04/2016] [Accepted: 05/11/2016] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The prevalence of obesity in the United States continues to rise, increasing individual vulnerability to an array of adverse health outcomes. One factor that has been implicated causally in the increased accumulation of fat and excess food intake is the activity of the limbic-hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (LHPA) axis in the face of relentless stressor exposure. However, translational and clinical research continues to understudy the effects sex and gonadal hormones and LHPA axis dysfunction in the etiology of obesity even though women continue to be at greater risk than men for stress-induced disorders, including depression, emotional feeding and obesity. The current review will emphasize the need for sex-specific evaluation of the relationship between stress exposure and LHPA axis activity on individual risk for obesity by summarizing data generated by animal models currently being leveraged to determine the etiology of stress-induced alterations in feeding behavior and metabolism. There exists a clear lack of translational models that have been used to study female-specific risk. One translational model of psychosocial stress exposure that has proven fruitful in elucidating potential mechanisms by which females are at increased risk for stress-induced adverse health outcomes is that of social subordination in socially housed female macaque monkeys. Data from subordinate female monkeys suggest that increased risk for emotional eating and the development of obesity in females may be due to LHPA axis-induced changes in the behavioral and physiological sensitivity of estradiol. The lack in understanding of the mechanisms underlying these alterations necessitate the need to account for the effects of sex and gonadal hormones in the rationale, design, implementation, analysis and interpretation of results in our studies of stress axis function in obesity. Doing so may lead to the identification of novel therapeutic targets with which to combat stress-induced obesity exclusively in females.
Collapse
|
17
|
van der Meer E, van Oers K. Gender and Personality Differences in Response to Social Stressors in Great Tits (Parus major). PLoS One 2015; 10:e0127984. [PMID: 26011633 PMCID: PMC4444083 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0127984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2015] [Accepted: 04/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In response to stressors, animals can increase the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis, resulting in elevated glucocorticoid concentrations. An increase in glucocorticoids results in an increase in heterophils and a decrease in lymphocytes, which ratio (H/L-ratio) is an indicator of stress in birds. The physiological response to a stressor can depend on individual characteristics, like dominance rank, sex and personality. Although the isolated effects of these characteristics on the response to a stressor have been well studied, little is known about the response in relation to a combination of these characteristics. In this study we investigate the relationship between social stress, dominance rank, sex and exploratory behaviour as a validated operational measure of personality in great tits (Parus major). Great tits show consistent individual differences in behaviour and physiology in response to stressors, and exploratory behaviour can be classified as fast or slow exploring. We group-housed four birds, two fast and two slow explorers, of the same sex that were previously singly housed, in an aviary and compared the H/L-ratio, lymphocyte and heterophil count before and after group housing. After experiencing the social context all birds increased their H/L-ratio and heterophil count. Females showed a stronger increase in H/L-ratio and heterophil count than males, which seemed to be related to a higher number of agonistic interactions compared to males. Dominance rank and exploration type did not affect the H/L-ratio or heterophil count. Contrary to our expectations, all birds increased their lymphocyte count. However, this increase was slower for fast than for slow explorers. Our study suggests that personality and sex related differences, but not dominance rank, are associated with changes in an individual's physiological response due to a social context.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Esther van der Meer
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Cheetah Conservation Project Zimbabwe, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
| | - Kees van Oers
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Habig B, Archie EA. Social status, immune response and parasitism in males: a meta-analysis. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2015; 370:20140109. [PMID: 25870395 PMCID: PMC4410375 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2014.0109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In male vertebrates, two conflicting paradigms--the energetic costs of high dominance rank and the chronic stress of low rank--have been proposed to explain patterns of immune function and parasitism. To date, neither paradigm has provided a complete explanation for status-related differences in male health. Here, we applied meta-analyses to test for correlations between male social status, immune responses and parasitism. We used an ecoimmunological framework, which proposes that males should re-allocate investment in different immune components depending on the costs of dominance or subordination. Spanning 297 analyses, from 77 studies on several vertebrate taxa, we found that most immune responses were similar between subordinate and dominant males, and neither dominant nor subordinate males consistently invested in predictable immune components. However, subordinate males displayed significantly lower delayed-type hypersensitivity and higher levels of some inflammatory cytokines than dominant males, while dominant males exhibited relatively lower immunoglobulin responses than subordinate males. Despite few differences in immunity, dominant males exhibited consistently higher parasitism than subordinate males, including protozoan blood parasites, ectoparasites and gastrointestinal helminths. We discuss our results in the context of the costs of dominance and subordination and advocate future work that measures both parasitism and immune responses in wild systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bobby Habig
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, 100 Galvin Life Sciences Center, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Archie
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, 100 Galvin Life Sciences Center, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Abstract
Depression is one of the most disabling medical conditions in the world today, yet its etiologies remain unclear and current treatments are not wholly effective. Animal models are a powerful tool to investigate possible causes and treatments for human diseases. We describe an animal model of social defeat as a possible model for human depression. We discuss the paradigm, behavioral correlates to depression, and potential underlying neurobiological mechanisms with an eye toward possible future therapies.
Collapse
|
20
|
Hodges TE, McCormick CM. Adolescent and adult male rats habituate to repeated isolation, but only adolescents sensitize to partner unfamiliarity. Horm Behav 2015; 69:16-30. [PMID: 25510393 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2014.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2014] [Revised: 11/24/2014] [Accepted: 12/08/2014] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
We investigated whether adolescent male rats show less habituation of corticosterone release than adult male rats to acute vs repeated (16) daily one hour episodes of isolation stress, as well as the role of partner familiarity during recovery on social behavior, plasma corticosterone, and Zif268 expression in brain regions. Adolescents spent more time in social contact than did adults during the initial days of the repeated stress procedures, but both adolescents and adults that returned to an unfamiliar peer after isolation had higher social activity than rats returned to a familiar peer (p=0.002) or undisturbed control rats (p<0.001). Both ages showed evidence of habituation, with reduced corticosterone response to repeated than acute isolation (p=0.01). Adolescents, however, showed sensitized corticosterone release to repeated compared with an acute pairing with an unfamiliar peer during recovery (p=0.03), a difference not found in adults. Consistent with habituation of corticosterone release, the repeated isolation groups had lower Zif268 immunoreactive cell counts in the paraventricular nucleus (p<0.001) and in the arcuate nucleus (p=0.002) than did the acute groups, and adolescents had higher Zif268 immunoreactive cell counts in the paraventricular nucleus than did adults during the recovery period (p<0.001), irrespective of stress history and partner familiarity. Partner familiarity had only modest effects on Zif268 immunoreactivity, and experimental effects on plasma testosterone concentrations were only in adults. The results highlight social and endocrine factors that may underlie the greater vulnerability of the adolescent period of development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Cheryl M McCormick
- Department of Psychology, Brock University, Canada; Department of Centre for Neuroscience, Brock University, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Reader BF, Jarrett BL, McKim DB, Wohleb ES, Godbout JP, Sheridan JF. Peripheral and central effects of repeated social defeat stress: monocyte trafficking, microglial activation, and anxiety. Neuroscience 2015; 289:429-42. [PMID: 25596319 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 136] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2014] [Revised: 11/25/2014] [Accepted: 01/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The development and exacerbation of depression and anxiety are associated with exposure to repeated psychosocial stress. Stress is known to affect the bidirectional communication between the nervous and immune systems leading to elevated levels of stress mediators including glucocorticoids (GCs) and catecholamines and increased trafficking of proinflammatory immune cells. Animal models, like the repeated social defeat (RSD) paradigm, were developed to explore this connection between stress and affective disorders. RSD induces activation of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation, increases bone marrow production and egress of primed, GC-insensitive monocytes, and stimulates the trafficking of these cells to tissues including the spleen, lung, and brain. Recently, the observation that these monocytes have the ability to traffic to the brain perivascular spaces and parenchyma have provided mechanisms by which these peripheral cells may contribute to the prolonged anxiety-like behavior associated with RSD. The data that have been amassed from the RSD paradigm and others recapitulate many of the behavioral and immunological phenotypes associated with human anxiety disorders and may serve to elucidate potential avenues of treatment for these disorders. Here, we will discuss novel and key data that will present an overview of the neuroendocrine, immunological and behavioral responses to social stressors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- B F Reader
- Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - B L Jarrett
- Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - D B McKim
- Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - E S Wohleb
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
| | - J P Godbout
- Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 333 West 10th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Center for Brain and Spinal Cord Repair, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 460 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - J F Sheridan
- Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Division of Biosciences, The Ohio State University College of Dentistry, 305 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Center for Brain and Spinal Cord Repair, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 460 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Hamasato EK, de Lima APN, de Oliveira APL, dos Santos Franco AL, de Lima WT, Palermo-Neto J. Cohabitation with a sick partner increases allergic lung inflammatory response in mice. Brain Behav Immun 2014; 42:109-17. [PMID: 24929194 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2014.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2014] [Revised: 05/22/2014] [Accepted: 06/03/2014] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The bidirectional relationship between the nervous system and the immune system is relevant for homeostatic organism maintenance. Studies from our laboratory showed that 14days of cohabitation with a sick partner (injected with Ehrlich tumor cells-TAE) produced behavioral, neurochemical, endocrinological and immunological changes. This study analyzes the effects of cohabitation with an Ehrlich tumor-bearing animal on ovalbumin (OVA)-induced lung inflammatory response in mice. Pairs of male mice were divided into three groups: naïve, control and experimental. Animals of the naïve group were kept undisturbed being used for the assessment of basal parameters. One animal of each experimental and control pair of mice was immunized with OVA. On ED(0), these OVA-immunized animals received an OVA booster. At this day (D(0)) the experimental mice that were kept undisturbed were inoculated with 5×10(6) Ehrlich tumor cells; their immunized cage-mates were then referred as to CSP ("companion of sick partner"). The undisturbed mice of each control pair were i.p. treated on D(0) with 0.9% NaCl; their sensitized cage-mates were subsequently referred as CHP ("companion of health partner"). The OVA challenge was performed on CSP and CHP mice on ED(12) and ED(13); blood and tissue collection were performed on ED(14). Fourteen days after cohabitation, in comparison to the CHP mice, the CSP mice displayed the following: (1) an increased number of eosinophils and neutrophils in the BAL, (2) a decreased bone marrow cell count, (3) increased levels of IL-4 and IL-5 and decreased levels of IL-10 and IFN-γ in the BAL supernatant, (5) increased levels of IgG1-OVA, decreased levels of IgG2a-OVA and no changes in OVA-specific IgE in the peripheral blood, (6) increased expression of L-selectin in the BAL granulocytes, (7) decreased tracheal reactivity to methacholine measured in vitro, (8) no changes in plasma corticosterone levels and (9) increased levels of plasmatic noradrenaline. These results suggest that allergic lung inflammatory response exacerbation in CSP mice is a consequence of the psychological stress induced by forced cohabitation with the sick partner. Strong involvement of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) through adrenaline and noradrenaline release and a shift of the Th1/Th2 cytokine profile toward a Th2 response were considered to be the mechanisms underlying the cell recruitment to the animal's airways.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Kenji Hamasato
- Neuroimmunomodulation Research Group, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Nascimento de Lima
- Neuroimmunomodulation Research Group, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Ligeiro de Oliveira
- Post Graduate Program in Biophotonics Applied to Health Sciences, Nove de Julho University, UNINOVE, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Adriana Lino dos Santos Franco
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - João Palermo-Neto
- Neuroimmunomodulation Research Group, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Euteneuer F, Schwarz MJ, Schmidmaier R, Hennings A, Riemer S, Stapf TM, Selberdinger VB, Süssenbach P, Dannehl K, Rief W. Blunted exercise-induced mobilization of monocytes in somatization syndromes and major depression. J Affect Disord 2014; 166:156-64. [PMID: 25012425 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2014.04.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2014] [Revised: 04/23/2014] [Accepted: 04/24/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous research indicates that physical activity may alter the number of immune cells. We examined whether increasing or decreasing the level of physical activity affects circulating lymphocyte and monocyte counts in patients with somatization syndromes and patients with major depression. METHODS Thirty-eight participants with major depression, 26 participants with somatization syndromes and 47 healthy controls participated in the study. Using an experimental within-subject design, participants were involved in 1 week of increased physical activity (daily exercise sessions) and 1 week of reduced physical activity. Counts of total lymphocytes, lymphocyte subsets and monocytes were determined before and after each trial. Linear mixed models adjusted for sex, body mass index, age, fitness status and the order of trials were used for longitudinal data analysis. RESULTS One week of exercise increases the number of monocytes in healthy controls (p<.05), but not in patients with somatization syndromes or patients with major depression. In addition, after 1 week of exercise, depressive symptoms were reduced in patients with major depression (p<.05) while somatoform symptoms were reduced (p<.05) in both clinical groups. Baseline comparisons and mixed models indicated reduced T helper cell counts in patients with somatization syndromes. LIMITATIONS Relatively small sample size. The time of physical activity was relatively short and restricted to low-graded exercise. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates a blunted mobilization of monocytes by exercise in both patients with somatization syndromes and patients with major depression. In addition, even one week of exercise reduces somatoform and depressive symptoms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Frank Euteneuer
- Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Philipps Universität, Marburg, Germany.
| | - Markus J Schwarz
- Institute for Laboratory Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilian-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Ralf Schmidmaier
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik IV, Klinikum der Universität München, Ludwig-Maximilian Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Anika Hennings
- Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Philipps Universität, Marburg, Germany
| | - Sabine Riemer
- Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Philipps Universität, Marburg, Germany
| | - Theresa M Stapf
- Department of Psychiatry, Ludwig-Maximilian-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Philipp Süssenbach
- Division of Psychological Methods, Philipps Universität, Marburg, Germany
| | - Katharina Dannehl
- Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Philipps Universität, Marburg, Germany
| | - Winfried Rief
- Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Philipps Universität, Marburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Hellhammer J, Vogt D, Franz N, Freitas U, Rutenberg D. A soy-based phosphatidylserine/ phosphatidic acid complex (PAS) normalizes the stress reactivity of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal-axis in chronically stressed male subjects: a randomized, placebo-controlled study. Lipids Health Dis 2014; 13:121. [PMID: 25081826 PMCID: PMC4237891 DOI: 10.1186/1476-511x-13-121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2014] [Accepted: 07/21/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Supplementation with a phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylserine/ phosphatidic acid complex (PAS) has been observed to normalize stress induced dysregulations of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA). Prolonged stress first induces a hyper-activation of the HPAA, which then can be followed by a state of hypo-activation.The aim of this study was to examine effects of an oral supplementation with 400 mg PS & 400 mg PA (PAS 400) per day on the endocrine stress response (ACTH, saliva and serum cortisol) to a psychosocial stressor. A special focus was to analyze subgroups of low versus high chronically stressed subjects as well as to test efficacy of 200 mg PS & 200 mg PA (PAS 200). METHODS 75 healthy male volunteers were enrolled for this double-blind, placebo-controlled study, stratified by chronic stress level, and randomly allocated to one of three study arms (placebo, PAS 200 and PAS 400 per day, respectively). Study supplementation was administered for 42 days for each participant. Chronic stress was measured with the Trier Inventory for Chronic Stress (TICS), and subgroups of high and low chronic stress were differentiated by median values as provided by the TICS authors. A six week period of supplementation was followed by an acute stress test (Trier Social Stress Test - TSST). RESULTS Chronic stress levels and other baseline measures did not differ between treatment groups (all p>0.05). Acute stress was successfully induced by the TSST and resulted in a hyper-responsivity of the HPAA in chronically stressed subjects. Compared to placebo, a supplementation with a daily dose of PAS 400 was effective in normalizing the ACTH (p=0.010), salivary (p=0.043) and serum cortisol responses (p=0.035) to the TSST in chronically high but not in low stressed subjects (all p>0.05). Compared to placebo, supplementation with PAS 200 did not result in any significant differences in these variables (all p>0.05). There were no significant effects of supplementation with PAS on heart rate, pulse transit time, or psychological stress response (all p>0.05). CONCLUSION In chronically stressed subjects, a supplementation with PAS 400 (MemreePlus™) can normalize the hyper-responsivity of the HPAA to an acute stressor. TRIAL REGISTRATION TRIAL REGISTRATION DRKS-ID: DRKS00005125.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juliane Hellhammer
- Diagnostic Assessment and Clinical Research Organization (Daacro) GmbH & Co. KG, Science Park Trier, Max-Planck-Str. 22, 54296 Trier, Germany
| | - Dominic Vogt
- Diagnostic Assessment and Clinical Research Organization (Daacro) GmbH & Co. KG, Science Park Trier, Max-Planck-Str. 22, 54296 Trier, Germany
| | - Nadin Franz
- Diagnostic Assessment and Clinical Research Organization (Daacro) GmbH & Co. KG, Science Park Trier, Max-Planck-Str. 22, 54296 Trier, Germany
| | - Ulla Freitas
- Lonza Ltd, Muenchensteinerstr. 38, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | | |
Collapse
|
25
|
Joel D, Yankelevitch-Yahav R. Reconceptualizing sex, brain and psychopathology: interaction, interaction, interaction. Br J Pharmacol 2014; 171:4620-35. [PMID: 24758640 DOI: 10.1111/bph.12732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2013] [Revised: 03/22/2014] [Accepted: 03/26/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years there has been a growing recognition of the influence of sex on brain structure and function, and in relation, on the susceptibility, prevalence and response to treatment of psychiatric disorders. Most theories and descriptions of the effects of sex on the brain are dominated by an analogy to the current interpretation of the effects of sex on the reproductive system, according to which sex is a divergence system that exerts a unitary, overriding and serial effect on the form of other systems. We shortly summarize different lines of evidence that contradict aspects of this analogy. The new view that emerges from these data is of sex as a complex system whose different components interact with one another and with other systems to affect body and brain. The paradigm shift that this understanding calls for is from thinking of sex in terms of sexual dimorphism and sex differences, to thinking of sex in terms of its interactions with other factors and processes. Our review of data obtained from animal models of psychopathology clearly reveals the need for such a paradigmatic shift, because in the field of animal behaviour whether a sex difference exists and its direction depend on the interaction of many factors including, species, strain, age, specific test employed and a multitude of environmental factors. We conclude by explaining how the new conceptualization can account for sex differences in psychopathology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- D Joel
- School of Psychological Sciences and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | | |
Collapse
|
26
|
Differential effect of severe and moderate social stress on blood immune and endocrine measures and susceptibility to collagen type II arthritis in male rats. Brain Behav Immun 2013; 29:156-165. [PMID: 23295263 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2012.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2012] [Revised: 12/19/2012] [Accepted: 12/26/2012] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The effects of social stress on several blood immune measures and collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) were investigated in Wistar rats using the resident-intruder confrontation paradigm to induce stress of different intensity. Male intruders were exposed for one week to a dominant opponent either repeatedly for 4h daily (moderate stress) or continuously (severe stress). Arthritis was induced by intradermal injection of collagen type II (CII) into the tail skin at the end of day 3 of confrontation. Only severe stress was associated with decreased CD4 and CD8 T cells, and the increase in granulocyte numbers and body mass loss was more pronounced under these conditions. Only severe stress reduced the susceptibility to arthritis by about 50%. Severity scores did not differ in the first five days after disease onset between all groups. Subsequent experiments focused on severely stressed rats indicated that disease progressed until day 10 only in control animals, but not in severely stressed males. Stressor exposure resulted in increased blood monocyte numbers, but these males failed to accumulate macrophages into the skin at the site of CII injection. High numbers of attacks experienced by intruders correlated with delayed disease onset in severely stressed rats. We hypothesize that severe stress persisting after disease induction exhibits beneficial effects on the susceptibility of CIA and propose that the specific endocrine and immunological profile associated with severe stress is an important factor for disease outcome--a factor which probably explains many of the conflicting data of previous stress studies on CIA.
Collapse
|
27
|
Nyuyki KD, Beiderbeck DI, Lukas M, Neumann ID, Reber SO. Chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC) as a model of chronic psychosocial stress in male rats. PLoS One 2012; 7:e52371. [PMID: 23300653 PMCID: PMC3530595 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0052371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2012] [Accepted: 11/15/2012] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC) is an adequate and reliable mouse model of chronic psychosocial stress, resulting in reduced body weight gain, reduced thymus and increased adrenal weight, long-lasting anxiety-like behaviour, and spontaneous colitis. Furthermore, CSC mice show increased corticotrophin (ACTH) responsiveness to acute heterotypic stressors, suggesting a general mechanism which allows a chronically-stressed organism to adequately respond to a novel threat. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to extend the CSC model to another rodent species, namely male Wistar rats, and to characterize relevant physiological, immunological, and behavioural consequences; placing particular emphasis on changes in hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis responsiveness to an acute heterotypic stressor. In line with previous mouse data, exposure of Wistar rats to 19 days of CSC resulted in a decrease in body weight gain and absolute thymus mass, mild colonic barrier defects and intestinal immune activation. Moreover, no changes in stress-coping behaviour or social preference were seen; again in agreement with the mouse paradigm. Most importantly, CSC rats showed an increased plasma corticosterone response to an acute heterotypic stressor (open arm, 5 min) despite displaying similar basal levels and similar basal and stressor-induced plasma ACTH levels. In contrast to CSC mice, anxiety-related behaviour and absolute, as well as relative adrenal weights remained unchanged in CSC rats. In summary, the CSC paradigm could be established as an adequate model of chronic psychosocial stress in male rats. Our data further support the initial hypothesis that adrenal hyper-responsiveness to ACTH during acute heterotypic stressors represents a general adaptation, which enables a chronically-stressed organism to adequately respond to novel challenges.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kewir D. Nyuyki
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Daniela I. Beiderbeck
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Michael Lukas
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Inga D. Neumann
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Stefan O. Reber
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Niebylski A, Boccolini A, Bensi N, Binotti S, Hansen C, Yaciuk R, Gauna H. Neuroendocrine changes and natriuresis in response to social stress in rats. Stress Health 2012; 28:179-85. [PMID: 22282077 DOI: 10.1002/smi.1411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2010] [Revised: 04/26/2011] [Accepted: 05/25/2011] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Sympathetic activation is detected by the tachycardic, hypertensive and hyperthermic responses during social conflicts in rodents and primates. Sympathetic nervous system activation promoting sodium retention has long been recognized to play a significant role in the development and maintenance of salt-sensitive hypertension. The objective was to investigate neuroendocrine activation and renal sodium excretion in response to chronic social stress. Male Wistar rats were subjected to social stress in accordance with the resident-intruder paradigm. Intruder rats were subjected to social confrontation once daily for 6 days. After the last confrontation, plasma corticosterone and urinary catecholamines were determined to assess the neuroendocrine activation. Plasma aldosterone, plasma and urinary creatinine, Na(+) , K(+) and urinary volume were also measured. Chronic social stress increased the urinary norepinephrine, dopamine and plasma corticosterone levels, with no changes in epinephrine levels. On the other hand, high plasma aldosterone levels and low urinary sodium excretion without differences in creatinine clearance were observed. In conclusion, social stress had a strong antinatriuretic effect, which is coincident with noradrenergic and corticoadrenal activation and an increase in plasma aldosterone levels. Activation of these factors may promote sodium retention, which has long been recognized to play a significant role in the development and maintenance of hypertension.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A Niebylski
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físico-Químicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Río Cuarto, Córdoba, Argentina.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
29
|
Johnstone CP, Reina RD, Lill A. Interpreting indices of physiological stress in free-living vertebrates. J Comp Physiol B 2012; 182:861-79. [PMID: 22415475 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-012-0656-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2011] [Revised: 02/22/2012] [Accepted: 02/24/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
When vertebrate physiological ecologists use the terms 'stress' or 'physiological stress', they typically mean the level of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA-) axis activation. Measurements of stress hormone concentrations (e.g. glucocorticoids in blood, urine or faeces), leukocytes (e.g. the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio or heterophil equivalent), immunofunction (e.g. innate, cell-mediated or humoral immunity measures) and regenerative anaemia (e.g. mean erythrocyte volume and red blood cell distribution width) have all been used to estimate HPA-axis activity in free-living vertebrates. Stress metrics have provided insights into aspects of autecology or population regulation that could not have been easily obtained using other indices of population wellbeing, such as body condition or relative abundance. However, short- and long-term stress (often problematically termed acute and chronic stress, respectively) can interact in unpredictable ways. When animals experience trapping and handling stress before blood, faeces and/or urine is sampled, the interaction of short- and long-term stress can confound interpretation of the data, a fact not always acknowledged in studies of stress in free-living vertebrates. This review examines how stress metrics can be confounded when estimates of HPA-axis activation are collected for free-living vertebrates and outlines some approaches that can be used to help circumvent the influence of potentially confounding factors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher P Johnstone
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton Campus, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
30
|
De Miguel Z, Vegas O, Garmendia L, Arregi A, Beitia G, Azpiroz A. Behavioral coping strategies in response to social stress are associated with distinct neuroendocrine, monoaminergic and immune response profiles in mice. Behav Brain Res 2011; 225:554-61. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2011.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2011] [Revised: 08/01/2011] [Accepted: 08/06/2011] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
|
31
|
Flint MS, Budiu RA, Teng PN, Sun M, Stolz DB, Lang M, Hood BL, Vlad AM, Conrads TP. Restraint stress and stress hormones significantly impact T lymphocyte migration and function through specific alterations of the actin cytoskeleton. Brain Behav Immun 2011; 25:1187-96. [PMID: 21426930 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2011.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2010] [Revised: 03/07/2011] [Accepted: 03/14/2011] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress triggers complex response mechanisms designed to recognize and adapt to perturbations in homeostasis. The immune system is highly responsive to stress, although the complete mechanisms linking stress and immune mediators including T lymphocytes, are not fully understood. Stress exerts its effects on immune effectors through two primary pathways: the sympathetic-adrenal-medullary pathway, and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal pathway which modulate adaptive immunity and lymphocyte migration. In this report we show that stress via release of stress hormones induces early T cell activation and greatly impacts the cytoskeleton by modulating numerous actin-regulating proteins. In particular, proteomic profiling revealed significant decreases in numerous key actin-binding proteins including moesin. Although confocal microscopy showed that moesin and actin were uniformly distributed on the surface of resting T cells, a remarkable polarization and redistribution of moesin and actin was observed following treatment with stress hormones with moesin localizing at the distal pole complex. In addition, the alteration in moesin localization and eventual decrease in expression were accompanied by a loss of CD43; a receptor involved in negatively regulating T cell activation. In conclusion, we have defined a novel molecular mechanism whereby stress hormones negatively impact T cell activation and migration through regulation of key cytoskeletal and plasma membrane factors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Melanie S Flint
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
32
|
Greiner S, Stefanski V, Dehnhard M, Voigt CC. Plasma testosterone levels decrease after activation of skin immune system in a free-ranging mammal. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2010; 168:466-73. [PMID: 20600041 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2010.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2009] [Revised: 06/16/2010] [Accepted: 06/19/2010] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The immunocompetence handicap hypothesis (ICHH) postulates a trade-off between the display of androgen-related, sexually selected traits and investment in immune functions, often summarized as immunosuppression by testosterone (TE). We investigated the relationship between delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) skin responses and the endocrine system in a free-ranging mammal and asked: (i) are high plasma TE levels related to a weak DTH response or (ii) does an activation of the cellular immune system cause a decrease in plasma TE secretion? and (iii) does baseline cortisol (CORT) and the capacity to release CORT in response to stress influence the DTH response? We studied these questions in the bat Carollia perspicillata and conducted an immune challenge (IC), a DTH skin test with the antigen 1,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB), as a measure for antigen-specific cell-mediated immunity. We found a high individual variance in DTH response irrespective of sex. In addition, pre-IC plasma TE did not affect the extent of DTH responses, but instead the IC lowered post-IC TE titres in both sexes. Also, pre-IC baseline CORT titres did not influence the DTH responses significantly, but the extent of an induced CORT response was negatively related to the DTH reaction. Our study does not support the presumption of an immunosuppressive effect of TE, but suggests that an activation of the immune system reduces plasma TE. This is still in line with the ICHH as originally formulated, because only immunocompetent animals are able to cope with pathogens effectively and maintain high TE levels at the same time.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Greiner
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
33
|
Rubinstein MR, Cremaschi GA, Oliveri LM, Gerez EN, Wald MR, Genaro AM. Possible involvement of stress hormones and hyperglycaemia in chronic mild stress-induced impairment of immune functions in diabetic mice. Stress 2010; 13:384-91. [PMID: 20666647 DOI: 10.3109/10253891003667888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress, an important aspect of modern life, has long been associated with an altered homeostatic state. Little is known about the effect of the life stress on the outcome of diabetes mellitus, especially related to the higher risk of infections. Here, we evaluate the effects of chronic mild stress (CMS) exposure on the evolution of type I diabetes induced by streptozotocin administration in BALB/c mice. Exposure of diabetic mice to CMS resulted in a significant reduction of survival and a sustained increase in blood glucose values. Concerning the immune response, chronic stress had a differential effect in mice with diabetes with respect to controls, showing a marked decrease in both T- and B-cell proliferation. No correlation was found between splenic catecholamine or circulating corticosterone levels and the proliferative response. However, a significant negative correlation was found between glucose levels and concanavalin A- and lipopolysaccharide-stimulated proliferative responses of T and B cells. A positive correlation between blood glucose and splenic catecholamine concentrations was found in diabetic mice but not in controls subjected to CMS. Hence, the present report shows that diabetic mice show a worse performance in immune function after stress exposure, pointing to the importance of considering life stress as a risk factor for patients with diabetes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M R Rubinstein
- Facultad de Medicina, Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos (CEFYBO), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), 1era Cátedra de Farmacología, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Paraguay 2155, Piso 15, 1121 Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
34
|
Blumstein DT, Ebensperger LA, Hayes LD, Vásquez RA, Ahern TH, Burger JR, Dolezal AG, Dosmann A, González-Mariscal G, Harris BN, Herrera EA, Lacey EA, Mateo J, McGraw LA, Olazábal D, Ramenofsky M, Rubenstein DR, Sakhai SA, Saltzman W, Sainz-Borgo C, Soto-Gamboa M, Stewart ML, Wey TW, Wingfield JC, Young LJ. Toward an integrative understanding of social behavior: new models and new opportunities. Front Behav Neurosci 2010; 4:34. [PMID: 20661457 PMCID: PMC2907235 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2010.00034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2010] [Accepted: 05/22/2010] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Social interactions among conspecifics are a fundamental and adaptively significant component of the biology of numerous species. Such interactions give rise to group living as well as many of the complex forms of cooperation and conflict that occur within animal groups. Although previous conceptual models have focused on the ecological causes and fitness consequences of variation in social interactions, recent developments in endocrinology, neuroscience, and molecular genetics offer exciting opportunities to develop more integrated research programs that will facilitate new insights into the physiological causes and consequences of social variation. Here, we propose an integrative framework of social behavior that emphasizes relationships between ultimate-level function and proximate-level mechanism, thereby providing a foundation for exploring the full diversity of factors that underlie variation in social interactions, and ultimately sociality. In addition to identifying new model systems for the study of human psychopathologies, this framework provides a mechanistic basis for predicting how social behavior will change in response to environmental variation. We argue that the study of non-model organisms is essential for implementing this integrative model of social behavior because such species can be studied simultaneously in the lab and field, thereby allowing integration of rigorously controlled experimental manipulations with detailed observations of the ecological contexts in which interactions among conspecifics occur.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel T Blumstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
35
|
Chow BA, Hamilton J, Alsop D, Cattet MRL, Stenhouse G, Vijayan MM. Grizzly bear corticosteroid binding globulin: Cloning and serum protein expression. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2010; 167:317-25. [PMID: 20347821 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2010.03.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2010] [Revised: 03/18/2010] [Accepted: 03/22/2010] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Serum corticosteroid levels are routinely measured as markers of stress in wild animals. However, corticosteroid levels rise rapidly in response to the acute stress of capture and restraint for sampling, limiting its use as an indicator of chronic stress. We hypothesized that serum corticosteroid binding globulin (CBG), the primary transport protein for corticosteroids in circulation, may be a better marker of the stress status prior to capture in grizzly bears (Ursus arctos). To test this, a full-length CBG cDNA was cloned and sequenced from grizzly bear testis and polyclonal antibodies were generated for detection of this protein in bear sera. The deduced nucleotide and protein sequences were 1218 bp and 405 amino acids, respectively. Multiple sequence alignments showed that grizzly bear CBG (gbCBG) was 90% and 83% identical to the dog CBG nucleotide and amino acid sequences, respectively. The affinity purified rabbit gbCBG antiserum detected grizzly bear but not human CBG. There were no sex differences in serum total cortisol concentration, while CBG expression was significantly higher in adult females compared to males. Serum cortisol levels were significantly higher in bears captured by leg-hold snare compared to those captured by remote drug delivery from helicopter. However, serum CBG expression between these two groups did not differ significantly. Overall, serum CBG levels may be a better marker of chronic stress, especially because this protein is not modulated by the stress of capture and restraint in grizzly bears.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brian A Chow
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
36
|
Schmidt MV, Scharf SH, Liebl C, Harbich D, Mayer B, Holsboer F, Müller MB. A novel chronic social stress paradigm in female mice. Horm Behav 2010; 57:415-20. [PMID: 20100488 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2010.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2009] [Revised: 01/15/2010] [Accepted: 01/19/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Major depression is one of the most prevalent stress-related psychiatric diseases. Next to environmental influences such as chronic social stress, gender is among the strongest risk factors for major depression, with women having a twice as high risk to develop the disease compared to men. While there is abundant literature on the effects of chronic social stress in male rodents, there is a serious lack of information on gender-specific effects. Especially in mice, which due to the wide availability of transgenic lines offer a unique opportunity to study gene x environment interactions, there is no existing model of chronic social stress that is applicable to both sexes. We here describe the effects of chronic social stress based on the disruption of the social network in a group-housed situation in female mice, a model that was recently described and validated for male mice. In this model, the group composition of the mice is changed twice per week for a period of 7 weeks, covering the adolescent and early adulthood period. We observed that housing in an unpredictable social environment resulted in chronic stress in female mice. The observed effects, which included increased adrenal weight, decreased thymus weight, increased corticosterone levels, and increased anxiety-like behavior, were very similar to the described effects of this paradigm in male mice. In addition, we observed a distinct expression of stress system-related genes in female mice following chronic stress exposure. Our results validate this model as a suitable approach to study chronic social stress in female mice and open up the opportunity to use this model with transgenic or knockout mouse lines.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M V Schmidt
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, RG Molecular Stress Physiology, Kraepelinstr. 2-10, 80804 Munich, Germany.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
37
|
Tuchscherer M, Kanitz E, Puppe B, Tuchscherer A, Viergutz T. Changes in endocrine and immune responses of neonatal pigs exposed to a psychosocial stressor. Res Vet Sci 2009; 87:380-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2009.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2008] [Revised: 04/13/2009] [Accepted: 04/16/2009] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
|
38
|
Regulation of natural killer cell redistribution by prefrontal cortex during stochastic learning. Neuroimage 2009; 47:897-907. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2009.04.088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2009] [Revised: 04/09/2009] [Accepted: 04/28/2009] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
|
39
|
Idova G, Davydova S, Alperina E, Cheido M, Devoino L. Serotoninergic Mechanisms of Immunomodulation Under Different Psychoemotional States: I. A role of 5-HT1aReceptor Subtype. Int J Neurosci 2009; 118:1594-608. [DOI: 10.1080/00207450701768887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
|
40
|
Jaedicke KM, Fuhrmann MD, Stefanski V. Lactation modifies stress-induced immune changes in laboratory rats. Brain Behav Immun 2009; 23:700-8. [PMID: 19232537 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2009.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2008] [Revised: 01/27/2009] [Accepted: 02/09/2009] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Lactation and stressor exposure both influence the activity of the immune system, but the interaction of both factors on the immune defense is poorly understood. The aim was therefore to investigate in lactating Long-Evans rats the effect of social stress on aspects of cellular immunity in the blood and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN). Acute social stress (2h) was induced in lactating and non-lactating female intruders using a confrontation model that yielded into social defeat and increased plasma corticosterone concentrations. Stress as well as lactation had marked effects on the immune system. Acute social stress caused granulocytosis, reduced lymphocyte proliferation, and cytokine production in the blood, but had no significant effects in MLN. In the blood of lactating rats, increased numbers of granulocytes and enhanced phagocytosis, but decreased B cell numbers and reduced IL-2 production was observed. However, in MLN both lymphocyte proliferation and monocyte numbers were increased in lactating rats. The effect of stress on the immune measures was often similar in lactating and non-lactating females, but a few important differences were evident: Only non-lactating animals showed an increase in blood granulocyte numbers and a decrease in IL-2 production in response to stressor exposure. Thus, during lactation, a neuroendocrine status may exist which impedes stress-induced modulations at least of some immune parameters.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katrin M Jaedicke
- Department of Animal Physiology, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
41
|
Cole SW, Mendoza SP, Capitanio JP. Social stress desensitizes lymphocytes to regulation by endogenous glucocorticoids: insights from in vivo cell trafficking dynamics in rhesus macaques. Psychosom Med 2009; 71:591-7. [PMID: 19553289 PMCID: PMC3008298 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0b013e3181aa95a9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine whether chronic social stress can desensitize leukocytes to normal physiologic regulation by endogenous glucocorticoids. METHODS We analyzed the longitudinal relationship between plasma cortisol levels and peripheral blood lymphocyte counts over 16 monthly assessments in 18 rhesus macaques randomized to recurrent social encounters with a stable set of conspecifics or continually varying social partners (unstable socialization). RESULTS Animals socialized under stable conditions showed the expected inverse relationship between plasma cortisol concentrations and circulating lymphocyte frequencies. That relationship was significantly attenuated in animals subject to unstable social conditions. Differences in leukocyte redistributional sensitivity to endogenous glucocorticoids emerged within the first week of differential socialization, persisted throughout the 60-week study period, and were correlated with other measures of glucocorticoid desensitization (blunted hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis response to acute stress and redistributional response to dexamethasone challenge). Effects of unstable social conditions on leukocyte sensitivity to cortisol regulation were not related to physical aggression. CONCLUSION Chronic social stress can impair normal physiologic regulation of leukocyte function by the HPA axis in ways that may contribute to the increased physical health risks associated with social adversity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Steve W Cole
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, UCLA School of Medicine, 11-934 Factor Building, Los Angeles, California 90095-1678, USA.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
42
|
Paiardini M, Hoffman J, Cervasi B, Ortiz AM, Stroud F, Silvestri G, Wilson ME. T-cell phenotypic and functional changes associated with social subordination and gene polymorphisms in the serotonin reuptake transporter in female rhesus monkeys. Brain Behav Immun 2009; 23:286-93. [PMID: 18992804 PMCID: PMC2654552 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2008.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2008] [Revised: 10/06/2008] [Accepted: 10/16/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Increased vulnerability to psychosocial stressors likely predisposes individuals to decreased immune function and inability to control pathogens. While many factors influence the susceptibility to psychosocial stress, genetic polymorphisms may modify individual reactivity to environmental stressors. The present study evaluated how immune function was altered by the interaction of in polymorphisms in the gene that encodes the serotonin reuptake transporter (5HTT) and the psychosocial stress imposed by social subordination in adult female rhesus monkeys. Subjects were dominant and subordinate females that carried both alleles of the long promoter variant (l/l) of the 5HTT gene, and dominant and subordinate that had at least one allele for the short promoter length variant (l/s or s/s, s-variant). Plasma cortisol was higher in subordinate females in response to a social separation paradigm, confirming their increased reactivity to psychosocial stressors. Subordinate females exhibited increased T-cell activation and proliferation regardless of genotype. Despite these higher levels of T-cell proliferation and activation, subordinate females showed significantly lower frequency of T-cells. This latter finding may be due to an increased susceptibility to cell death, as indicated by higher levels of annexin-V+ CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells in s-variant subordinate compared to dominant females. These findings indicate that subordinate rhesus monkeys with the s-variant 5HTT genotype exhibit decreased T-cell numbers perhaps compromising their ability to mount an immune response to pathogens. These data underscore the importance for considering gene polymorphisms that influence emotional reactivity to better understand susceptibility to disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mirko Paiardini
- Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA 19107
| | - Jackie Hoffman
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta GA 30322, Department of Poultry Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27695
| | - Barbara Cervasi
- Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA 19107
| | | | - Fawn Stroud
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta GA 30322
| | - Guido Silvestri
- Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA 19107
| | - Mark E. Wilson
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta GA 30322
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Schmidt MV, Sterlemann V, Müller MB. Chronic stress and individual vulnerability. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2009; 1148:174-83. [PMID: 19120107 DOI: 10.1196/annals.1410.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Over the last decades the burden of disease in Western countries has shifted from comparably easily treated infectious diseases to more complex diseases, such as the metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and psychiatric disorders. A common characteristic of these illnesses is the interplay of multiple genetic and nongenetic factors, which eventually results in the manifestation of disease symptoms. Large-scale epidemiological studies in humans have resulted in the identification of various environmental and genetic risk factors, which contribute to the onset, duration, and severity of disease. While tremendous progress has been made, it is still impossible to predict which combination of risk factors will result in the manifestation of a specific illness. This lack of knowledge is also frequently reflected in inadequate treatment strategies, which mainly focus on symptom reversal rather than targeting the cause of the diseases. One of the most prominent environmental risk factors described for numerous diseases is chronic exposure to stressful situations. In this paper we address clinical and preclinical evidence of chronic stress as a risk factor for disease and introduce a novel, high-throughput mouse model for chronic social stress. We can show that this model has a high degree of construct, face, and predictive validity in terms of physiological, behavioral, and gene expression changes. We further illustrate how novel animal models of chronic social stress can help to unravel the complex interaction of individual genetic vulnerability and environmental risk factors.
Collapse
|
44
|
In vitro effects of noradrenaline on Sydney rock oyster (Saccostrea glomerata) hemocytes. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2008; 151:691-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2008.08.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2007] [Revised: 08/13/2008] [Accepted: 08/18/2008] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
|
45
|
Coping with competition: neuroendocrine responses and cognitive variables. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2008; 33:160-70. [PMID: 18845183 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2008.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2008] [Revised: 09/07/2008] [Accepted: 09/15/2008] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Confronting another individual or group motivated by the same goal is a very frequent situation in human communities that occurs in many other species. Competitive interactions emerge as critical situations that shed light on the effects and consequences of social stress on health. But more important than the situation itself is the way it is interpreted by the subject. This "appraisal" involves cognitive processes that contribute to explaining the neuroendocrine response to these interactions, helping to understanding the vulnerability or resistance to their effects. In this review, we defend the need to study human competition within the social stress framework, while maintaining an evolutionary perspective, and taking advantage of the theoretical and methodological advances in psychology and psychophysiology in order to better understand the cognitive processes underlying the social stress response in humans.
Collapse
|
46
|
Social Competitiveness and Plasticity of Neuroendocrine Function in Old Age: Influence of Neonatal Novelty Exposure and Maternal Care Reliability. PLoS One 2008; 3:e2840. [PMID: 18641792 PMCID: PMC2475497 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0002840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2008] [Accepted: 07/09/2008] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
|
47
|
Chichinadze K, Chichinadze N. Stress-induced increase of testosterone: Contributions of social status and sympathetic reactivity. Physiol Behav 2008; 94:595-603. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2008.03.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2007] [Revised: 03/25/2008] [Accepted: 03/27/2008] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
|
48
|
A rhesus monkey model of self-injury: effects of relocation stress on behavior and neuroendocrine function. Biol Psychiatry 2008; 63:990-6. [PMID: 18164279 PMCID: PMC2486411 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2007.10.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2007] [Revised: 10/26/2007] [Accepted: 10/28/2007] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Self-injurious behavior (SIB), a disorder that afflicts many individuals within both clinical and nonclinical populations, has been linked to states of heightened stress and arousal. However, there are no published longitudinal data on the relationship between increases in stress and changes in the incidence of SIB. This study investigated the short- and long-term behavioral and neuroendocrine responses of SIB and control monkeys to the stress of relocation. METHODS Twenty adult male rhesus macaques were exposed to the stress of relocation to a new housing arrangement in a newly constructed facility. Daytime behavior, sleep, and multiple measures of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis function were investigated before and after the move. RESULTS Relocation induced a complex pattern of short- and long-term effects in the animals. The SIB animals showed a long-lasting increase in self-biting behavior, as well as evidence of sleep disturbance. Both groups exhibited elevated cortisol levels in saliva, serum, and hair, and also an unexpected delayed increase in circulating concentrations of corticosteroid binding globulin (CBG). CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that relocation is a significant stressor for rhesus macaques and that this stressor triggers an increase in self-biting behavior as well as sleep disturbance in monkeys previously identified as suffering from SIB. These findings suggest that life stresses may similarly exacerbate SIB in humans with this disorder. The HPA axis results underscore the potential role of CBG in regulating long-term neuroendocrine responses to major stressors.
Collapse
|
49
|
Gibb J, Hayley S, Gandhi R, Poulter MO, Anisman H. Synergistic and additive actions of a psychosocial stressor and endotoxin challenge: Circulating and brain cytokines, plasma corticosterone and behavioral changes in mice. Brain Behav Immun 2008; 22:573-89. [PMID: 18191534 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2007.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2007] [Revised: 11/28/2007] [Accepted: 12/01/2007] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Activation of the inflammatory immune response may provoke neuroendocrine and central neurochemical effects that are reminiscent of those elicited by traditional stressors, and when administered concurrently may have synergistic effects. The present investigation assessed whether a psychosocial stressor, comprising social disruption, would augment the effects of lipopolysaccharide in mice. It was indeed observed that the social disruption engendered by a period of 2-4 weeks of social isolation (but not 1-7 days of this treatment) followed by regrouping, enhanced the effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS: 10mug) in the provocation of sickness behavior, as well as plasma corticosterone, IL-6, TNF-alpha and IL-10 levels. Similar effects were not apparent with respect to IL-1beta, IL-4, or IFN-gamma. Synergy between LPS and other stressors (restraint, tail pinch, and loud noise) was not apparent with respect to sickness or plasma corticosterone, provisionally suggesting that social stressors, such as regrouping, may be more powerful or may engage unique neural or neuroendocrine circuits that favour synergistic outcomes. Within the CNS, the LPS and the regrouping stressor synergistically enhanced NE utilization within the prefrontal cortex, and additively influenced hippocampal NE utilization. In contrast to the effects on circulating cytokines, the LPS-induced elevation of IL-1beta, IL-6 and TNF-alpha mRNA expression in the hippocampus, PFC and nucleus tractus solitarius was diminished in animals that had experienced the regrouping stressor. In view of the combined actions of LPS challenge and a social stressor, these data are interpreted as suggesting that models of depression based on immune activation ought to consider the stressor backdrop upon which immune challenges are imposed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julie Gibb
- Institute of Neuroscience, Carleton University, LSRB/1125 Colonial By Drive, Ottawa, Ont., Canada K1S 5B6
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
50
|
Ohira H, Isowa T, Nomura M, Ichikawa N, Kimura K, Miyakoshi M, Iidaka T, Fukuyama S, Nakajima T, Yamada J. Imaging brain and immune association accompanying cognitive appraisal of an acute stressor. Neuroimage 2007; 39:500-14. [PMID: 17913515 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2007.08.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2006] [Revised: 07/24/2007] [Accepted: 08/17/2007] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute stress elicits multiple responses in autonomic, endocrine, and immune systems. Cognitive appraisal is believed to be one important modulator of such stress responses. To investigate brain substrates of crosstalks between the homeostasis-maintaining systems accompanying appraisal of stressor controllability, we simultaneously recorded regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) using 15O-water positron emission tomography, cardiovascular indices (heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP)), neuroendocrine indices (concentrations of epinephrine, norepinephrine, and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) in blood), and immune indices (proportions of subsets of lymphocytes (NK cells, helper T cells, cytotoxic T cells, and B cells) in blood), in 11 male subjects who performed a mental arithmetic task with either high controllability (HC) and low controllability (LC). The LC task resulted in less sense of control in subjects than the HC task. Significant increases of rCBF in the medial and lateral orbitofrontal cortices (OFC), and in the medial and lateral prefrontal cortices (MPFC, LPFC) were observed by subtracting the HC task from the LC task. More importantly, significant positive correlations between rCBF and HR, BP, and NK cells were commonly found in the OFC and MPFC during the LC tasks, but not during the HC tasks. The present results showed for the first time that the prefrontal neural network including the OFC and MPFC might be one pivotal region for bi-directional functional association between the brain and peripheral autonomic and immune activities accompanying appraisal of an acute stressor.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hideki Ohira
- Department of Psychology, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8601 Japan.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|