Stress Hormone Enhancement of OP-Induced Neuroinflammation as an Animal Model of GWI: The Role of Toll-like Receptors and Plasticity
Abstract
Gulf War Illness (GWI) is a multi-symptom disorder with features similar to "sickness behavior'' (e.g., fatigue, joint pain, cognitive impairments, gastrointestinal problems). The exposures and conditions in theater that caused GWI remain unknown but several chemicals and environmental conditions have been implicated. In addition, we have combined GW agent exposures with corticosterone (CORT) in a mouse model to simulate physiological stresses in the war theater. Project leaders decided that the behavioral studies should be conducted before the neurophysiological and biochemical work to establish a CORT+CPO regimen that produced a defined functional effect. The Morris water maze was the initial behavioral test of spatial learning employed. Separate groups of mice were tested 1 and 12 weeks after CORT+CPO exposure, but there was no evidence that this treatment produced an impairment of learning in the water maze. It was therefore apparent that the priming of the immune response from one week of CORT administration plus the neuroinflammation produced by CPO one day later was not sufficient to affect learning and memory assessed in the water maze. In year 2 we will include additional behavioral tests to better validate the presence of any treatment-related behavioral effects. In addition, we will utilize a longer CORT regimen with the same dose of CPO, but implement a standardized immune stimulus just prior to behavioral testing. These latter steps are designed to enhance the resulting neuroinflammation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2017
- Accession Number
- AD1050821
Entities
People
- Stephen M. Lasley
Organizations
- University of Illinois at Chicago