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Neonatal experience interacts with adult social stress to alter acute and chronic Theiler's virus infection.

Authors :
Johnson RR
Maldonado Bouchard S
Prentice TW
Bridegam P
Rassu F
Young CR
Steelman AJ
Welsh TH Jr
Welsh CJ
Meagher MW
Source :
Brain, behavior, and immunity [Brain Behav Immun] 2014 Aug; Vol. 40, pp. 110-20. Date of Electronic Publication: 2014 Mar 12.
Publication Year :
2014

Abstract

Previous research has shown that neonatal handling has prolonged protective effects associated with stress resilience and aging, yet little is known about its effect on stress-induced modulation of infectious disease. We have previously demonstrated that social disruption stress exacerbates the acute and chronic phases of the disease when applied prior to Theiler's virus infection (PRE-SDR) whereas it attenuates disease severity when applied concurrently with infection (CON-SDR). Here, we asked whether neonatal handling would protect adult mice from the detrimental effects of PRE-SDR and attenuate the protective effects of CON-SDR on Theiler's virus infection. As expected, handling alone decreased IL-6 and corticosterone levels, protected the non-stressed adult mice from motor impairment throughout infection and reduced antibodies to myelin components (PLP, MBP) during the autoimmune phase of disease. In contrast, neonatal handling X PRE/CON-SDR elevated IL-6 and reduced corticosterone as well as increased motor impairment during the acute phase of the infection. Neonatal handling X PRE/CON-SDR continued to exacerbate motor impairment during the chronic phase, whereas only neonatal handling X PRE-SDR increased in antibodies to PLP, MOG, MBP and TMEV. Together, these results imply that while handling reduced the severity of later Theiler's virus infection in non-stressed mice, brief handling may not be protective when paired with later social stress.<br /> (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
1090-2139
Volume :
40
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
Brain, behavior, and immunity
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
24632225
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2014.03.002