Abstract: The present experiments have studied the influence of prediction and control of electric shocks on certain aspects of immune function, and the possible intermediate role of glucocorticoid hormones. After two sessions of inescapable footshocks, the reactivity of splenocytes to concanavalin A was reduced by one third. This effect of immunosuppression was not observed when each shock was preceded by a warning stimulus, even though the adrenocortical response was the same in both conditions. The results from the experiment 2 show that rats receiving inescapable footshocks displayed a reduced reactivity of splenocytes to lectins whereas rats with escapable footshocks had a reduced reactivity to sheep erythrocytes. However,no difference was observed in the corticosterone or prolactin responses between the two groups. These data further support the importance of psychological factors on stress-induced changes in immune functions. Furthermore, they demonstrate that certain aspects of the immune system are differentially affected by behavioral factors and the results argue against a major role for the adrenocortical system in mediating these changes.

Key words: stress, corticosteroids, prolactin, footshocks, avoidance behavior

摘要： 研究了电击的可预期性和行为控制对大鼠免疫功能的影响以及糖皮质激素可能的中介作用。实验结果表明，给予大鼠不可躲避的足底电击，经过两次实验，脾淋巴细胞的转化受到抑制，cpm值降低1/3。如果每次电击前给予一个警告信号，由于可预期的事件产生的心理压力比不可预期事件小，结果脾淋巴细胞的转化受到的抑制不明显。另一实验是一组大鼠给予连续的电击，但每次电击都可以躲避。而另一组大鼠(搭挡组yoked animal)接受同样的电击，不能躲避。经过10次实验后，发现不能躲避组大鼠脾淋巴细胞转化受到抑制，而可躲避组大鼠变化不明显。这些结果进一步支持了心理因素在应激引起的免疫功能的变化中起重要作用。

关键词: 应激, 皮质酮, 催乳素, 电击, 躲避行为