Peri-pubertal Adrenal and Immune Function Development

描述（由申请人提供）：青春期过程的标志是 显著的肾上腺和淋巴组织发育和社会行为 发展因为肾上腺和免疫系统对 环境条件，社会经验，在这一时期可能有一个 对这两个系统的发展产生了重大影响。我将测试 假设青春期是一个敏感时期， 与社会环境的相互作用产生肾上腺的终身变化， 免疫功能和疾病风险。老鼠和儿童的最新数据 表明在青春期，肾上腺和免疫功能开始 个体之间差异很大，有些个体发展 与抑郁症相关的反应模式相似（例如， 糖皮质激素分泌过多和免疫力低下），这往往是第一个 在青春期后不久被确诊我提议用老鼠做一项研究 青春期的社会条件和性格特征， 糖皮质激素分泌过多和免疫抑制。实验 涉及对青春期周围社会环境的操纵， 性格特征来决定这两个变量的组合会导致 肾上腺和免疫功能的差异。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The pubertal process is marked by significant adrenal and lymphoid tissue development and social behavior development. Because the adrenal and immune systems are highly responsive to environmental conditions, social experiences during this period may have a significant impact on the development of these two systems. I will test the hypothesis that puberty is a sensitive period during which individual interactions with the social environment produce life-long changes in adrenal and immune function and disease risk. Recent data from rats and children indicate that during peri-puberty, adrenal and immune functioning begins to differ significantly among individuals, with some individuals developing response patterns similar to those associated with depression (e.g. glucocorticoid hypersecretion and compromised immunity), which is often first diagnosed shortly after puberty. I propose a study with rats that will identify the peri-pubertal social conditions and personality traits that predict glucocorticoid hypersecretion and immune suppression in adult rats. Experiments involve manipulations of peri-pubertal social environment relative to personality traits to determine what combination of these two variables leads to differential adrenal and immune function in adulthood.