[The normalization of the immune response in old stressed mice by apomorphine]

It has been shown that the immune reactivity of old C57BL/6 mice aged 24-27 months immunized with sheep red blood cells (5 x 10(8)) was decreased as compared to young mice (2-3 months). Activation of the dopaminergic system by the agonist of dopamine postsynaptic receptors apomorphine resulted in normalization of an immune response in old mice. Injection of apomorphine also prevented the immunosuppression observed in old mice, which was induced by immobilization stress (3.5 hours on the back). Immune response level of these animals approached that of young nonstressed animals. It was suggested that disturbance of the mechanisms of psychoneuroimmunomodulation in old and stressed animals could be prevented by changing the neurochemical pattern of the brain.