NCJ Number
219168
Journal
Trauma, Violence, & Abuse Volume: 8 Issue: 3 Dated: July 2007 Pages: 314-330
Date Published
July 2007
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This research review demonstrates how research with animals can be used to reveal the biobehavioral mechanisms that underlie the adverse health effects of social conflict, with attention to the animal model of multiple sclerosis (a disease of the central nervous system that may result in speech defects, loss of muscular coordination, and other disabilities of an impaired central nervous system).
Abstract
Research has shown that social conflict exacerbates a virally initiated animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS), which results in more severe sickness behaviors, motor impairment, disruption of viral clearance, and increased inflammation in the brain and spinal cord. Exposure to social conflict alone results in an increase in a proinflammatory cytokine, interleukin-6 (IL-6), in the brain and in circulating blood. The adverse health effects of social conflict on Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) infection can be prevented by blocking stress-induced increases of IL-6 during the stress-exposure period. This suggests that the adverse effects of social conflict are partially mediated by stress-induced increases of IL-6 in the brain. Based on this finding from animal research, this review advises that interventions designed to prevent or reverse the stress-induced increases in IL-6 may prevent or reverse some of the negative health effects of social conflict in humans. Additional research is required in order to determine whether this prevention strategy can be safely and effectively used with humans exposed to social conflict. If this research with humans confirms the findings of animal studies, then appropriate treatment could be designed to prevent some of the negative health effects of domestic violence and associated traumatic stress. 2 tables and 117 references