Social status impacts T-cell responses through synapse strength in the prefrontal cortex - PubMed
4 hours ago
- #immunology
- #neuroscience
- #social hierarchy
- Social status affects immune system responses, particularly T-cell activity.
- Second-ranked male mice in social groups showed superior T-cell responses upon vaccination.
- Enhanced T-cell responses in second-ranked mice depend on synaptic communication in the brain.
- The dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) plays a key role in social hierarchy and immune response.
- Increasing dmPFC synapse strength or neuron activity boosts antigen-specific T-cell percentages post-vaccination.
- Findings reveal a causal link between dmPFC activity and peripheral immune system function.
- Research highlights the health impacts of social inequality through neural-immune interactions.