Significance of initial emotional state for neuroimmunomodulation in conditions of activation and blockade of 5-HT(1A) receptors.

Experiments performed on male CBA mice immunized with sheep erythrocytes at a dose of 5 x 10(8) cells showed that the selective agonist of serotonin 5-HT(1A) receptors 8-OH-DPAT (1 mg/kg) suppresses the immune response in aggressive animals. In mice demonstrating the submissive type of behavior, formed during 10 days of experience of defeats, activation of 5-HT(1A) receptors with 8-OH-DPAT had no effect on the immune response. However, treatment with the selective 5-HT(1A) receptor blocker WAY-100635 stimulated the immune response, but only in submissive mice. These data lead to the conclusion that activation and blockade of 5-HT(1A) receptors have different effects on the immune response in CBA mice depending on the initial emotional state of the animals, due to different activities of neurotransmitter systems, particularly the serotoninergic, in aggressive and submissive mice.