Behaviorally conditioned changes in peripheral immune functions: kinetics, affernet pathways and central processings

• Applicants: Dr. Ute Krügel; Professor Dr. Manfred Schedlowski
• Subject Area: Cognitive, Systems and Behavioural Neurobiology
• Term: from 2008 to 2012
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 94622740

Behavioral conditioning paradigms have documented the brain’s abilities to sense immune-derived signals or immune status, associate them with concurrently relevant extereoceptive stimuli, and reinstate such immune responses on demand. We could recently demonstrate behavioral conditioned immunosuppressive effects in rats employing cyclosporine A as an unconditioned stimulus. Such conditioned immunosuppressive effects are clinically relevant since they prolong heart allograft survival and attenuate allergic responses. These conditioned effects are mediated centrally via the insular cortex and the amygdala as well as on the peripheral efferent arm via the splenic nerve, through noradrenaline and β-adrenoceptor-dependent mechanisms. With this research work we intend to analyze the kinetics of the behavioral conditioned immunopharmacological response together with the reconditionability of the immunosuppressive conditioned effect. In addition, we will investigate the afferent pathways between the peripheral immune system and the CNS in the context of the conditioning process and will in particular analyze when and how the changes in the peripheral immune system are detected by the CNS as well as determine the involvement of central neurotransmitters and/or cytokines involved in this associative learning process. These experiments will form a basis for the evaluation of whether conditioning paradigms can be utilized to complement immunomodulatory drug regimes in clinical situations.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants