Skip to Main Content
 

Global Search Box

 
 
 
 

Files

File List


osu1171579586.pdf (941.97 KB)

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

Behavioral and immunolgical effects of repeated social defeat

Kinsey, Steven G
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1171579586

Abstract Details

2007, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Psychology.
Mammals respond to environmental threats through complex neuroendocrine processes, collectively referred to as the stress response. Once activated, the stress response affects the regulation of many other physiological systems, including the immune system. Social disruption (SDR) is an animal model of social stress in which mice are repeatedly attacked and defeated in their home cage by an aggressive conspecific, or member of the same species. Social disruption has been reported to cause increased production of proinflammatory cytokines and glucocorticoid (GC) insensitivity in splenic macrophages. Because social defeat has been reported to cause anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors in humans and rodents, the first study was designed to assess whether SDR causes anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors. Both C57BL/6 and CD-1 male mice subjected to SDR displayed increased anxiety-like behavior. These effects persisted for at least one week after the cessation of the stressor. SDR did not cause depressive-like behaviors. The second study investigated whether repeated social defeat resulted in similar immunoregulatory changes in aged mice, as seen previously in young adults. Regardless of age, defeated mice displayed significantly higher anxiety-like behavior, as measured in the open field test, and more splenic CD11b+ Gr-1+ monocytes and neutrophils than controls. Supernatants harvested from cultured splenocytes from old mice contained comparatively higher IL-6 and TNF than supernatants from young animals. These cells from aged defeated mice were hypersensitive to lipopolysaccharide but insensitive to glucocorticoids. The third study determined whether pharmacologically blocking SDR-induced anxiety-like behaviors also blocked the development of GC insensitivity. Neither anxiolytic nor anxiogenic drug affected the development of GC insensitivity. These data suggest that the development of anxiety-like behavior does not directly cause the observed immunological effects of social disruption. Taken together, these data indicate that SDR caused increased anxiety-like, but not depressive-like behaviors. This increase in anxiety-like behavior persisted in aged mice, which were predisposed toward inflammation, and this effect was further exacerbated by social defeat. Pharmacologic blockade of anxiety-like behavior neither attenuated nor exacerbated the previously-observed defeat-induced changes to immune function, suggesting that the SDR-induced anxiety-like state does not causally affect immunity.
David Padgett (Advisor)
132 p.
social defeat; stress; inflammation; aging; immunosenescence; anxiety; depression; bullying; aggression

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Kinsey, S. G. (2007). Behavioral and immunolgical effects of repeated social defeat [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1171579586

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Kinsey, Steven. Behavioral and immunolgical effects of repeated social defeat. 2007. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1171579586.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Kinsey, Steven. "Behavioral and immunolgical effects of repeated social defeat." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2007. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1171579586

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1171579586
1,439
© 2007, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.