title: Correlation between age-related changes in open field behavior and plaque forming cell response in DA female rats.
abstract: We investigated the relationship between immunological and behavioral changes during ageing in Dark Agouti female rats. Results showed that ageing was associated with decreased exploratory behavior and increased emotionality (open field test) and decreased pain perception (writhing assay), but not with altered depression-like behavior (forced swim test). The observed behavioral changes were paralleled with decreased innate immunity in middle-aged and old rats, as revealed by reduced peroxide production of peritoneal macrophages; and decreased specific immunity, measured by the plaque-forming cell response, in old rats in comparison with young rats. Correlation analyses between behavioral and immune parameters demonstrated a significant correlation between the lines crossed in the open field test and the plaque-forming cell response. Taken together, the demonstrated age-dependent association between exploratory behavior and specific immune response suggests a senescent decline of a common neuroimmune regulatory mechanism.
authors.affiliation: Immunology Research Center "Branislav Jankovic", Institute of Immunology and Virology "Torlak", Belgrade, Yugoslavia.
authors.forename: Cedomir
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Todorović
authors.forename: Mirjana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dimitrijević
authors.forename: Stanislava
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stanojević
authors.forename: Vesna
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kovacević-Jovanović
authors.forename: Tatjana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miletić
authors.forename: Olgica
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Laban
authors.forename: Jelena
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Radulović
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000502:physiology; D003863:Depression / Q000503:physiopathology; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006462:Hemolytic Plaque Technique; D007107:Immune System / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000502:physiology*; D015213:Neuroimmunomodulation / Q000502:physiology*; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains