Social stress alters the severity of acute Theiler's virus infection.

J Neuroimmunol

Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts, Texas A&M University, Mailstop 4328, College Station, TX 77843, USA.

Published: March 2004

AI Article Synopsis

  • Theiler's virus infection shows different outcomes based on stress type, with restraint stress reducing CNS inflammation but worsening illness behaviors.
  • Social disruption stress (SDR) prior to infection leads to glucocorticoid resistance and more severe disease with higher inflammation.
  • When SDR occurs simultaneously with infection, glucocorticoid resistance does not develop, resulting in a less severe disease course and moderate inflammation.

Article Abstract

Our laboratory has previously shown that restraint stress resulted in decreased Theiler's virus-induced CNS inflammation, while exacerbating illness behaviors during the acute phase of disease. In contrast, social disruption stress (SDR) applied prior to infection led to the development of glucocorticoid (GC) resistance, and these animals developed more severe disease course, with increased inflammation. However, when SDR was applied concurrent with infection, GC resistance fails to develop, disease course is less severe and inflammation was moderate. These results suggest that the effects of SDR on Theiler's virus infection are dependent upon the timing of SDR application in relation to infection.

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jneuroim.2003.11.009DOI Listing

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