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Medical News: Scientists have long known that repeated aggressive behavior can change how the brain works. A new animal study now shows that it also changes how the immune system responds to inflammation. Researchers discovered that male mice with long-term aggressive experience were able to recover from inflammation faster than non-aggressive mice, both in the blood and in the brain. This surprising finding challenges the common belief that aggression always harms health.
Long-term aggressive behavior reshapes the brain and immune system allowing faster recovery from inflammation
The research was carried out by scientists from the Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Novosibirsk State University in Russia.
Understanding the Experiment in Simple Terms
To study this, researchers used male CD1 mice that were repeatedly exposed to aggressive encounters for 30 days. Some of these mice developed what scientists call pathological aggression, meaning they attacked even when there was no real threat. After this period, the mice were given repeated injections of a substance called LPS, which safely mimics bacterial infection and triggers inflammation.
The scientists then compared aggressive mice with non-aggressive control mice. They observed behavior, measured blood immune cells, and examined immune activity in the brain, especially in regions linked to aggression and motivation.
Faster Recovery from Inflammation
All mice showed signs of sickness during the first few days of inflammation, such as weight loss and reduced movement. However, five days after the inflammation ended, aggressive mice recovered much faster. Their white blood cell counts returned to normal, while non-aggressive mice still showed signs of ongoing inflammation.
Even more striking were the changes in the brain. The brain’s immune cells, called microglia, usually stay activated longer after inflammation. In aggressive mice, these cells quickly returned to a resting state. In contrast, microglia in control mice remained active, suggesting prolonged brain inflammation.
Key Brain Changes Behind the Effect
The researchers found that aggressive mice had higher activity of a gene called Trem2. This gene helps calm overactive immune cells in the brain and protects nerve cells from damage. Increased Trem2 activity appears to be one reason why inflammation resolved faster in aggressive mice.
The study also showed differences in dopamine-related genes in brain areas that control reward and motivation. Dopamine is known to influence both behavior and immune responses. These brain chemical changes may help explain how aggression reshapes immune reactions over time.
Importantly, inflammation did not reduce aggressive behavior once the sickness phase passed. This Medical News report highlights that aggression-related brain changes are long-lasting and not
easily reversed by immune challenges.
Why This Research Matters
Although this study was done in mice, it provides valuable insight into how long-term behavior can reshape the immune system. It suggests that repeated stress or aggression may “train” the immune system to respond more quickly and shut down inflammation sooner. However, the researchers stress that pathological aggression is still harmful and linked to poor decision-making and impulsive behavior.
Final Thoughts
This research shows that prolonged aggressive experience creates lasting changes in the brain and immune system. Aggressive mice developed a unique immune profile that allowed faster recovery from both body-wide and brain inflammation. These findings help scientists better understand the deep connection between behavior, brain chemistry, and immune health, while also raising important questions about how chronic stress affects the human body over time.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: International Journal of Molecular Sciences.
https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/26/24/12007
For the latest on Inflammation research, keep on logging to Thailand Medical News.
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