Immunological examination was performed in the Clinical Immunology Laboratory of the Scientific and Pedagogical Center of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Androsova and T.P. Sekirina (head of the laboratory of Prof. G. I. Kolyaskin). An immunological study included the study of the functional activity of peripheral blood lymphocytes, which was assessed by the magnitude of the proliferative response of lymphocytes when they were stimulated with nonspecific mitogens. To determine the functional activity of T-lymphocytes, phytohemagglutinin (FGA) was used in concentrations of 1.25; 2.5; 5.0; 10.0 and 20.0 µg / ml; concavalin A (Kon-A) in concentrations of 1.25; 2.5; 5.0 and 10.0 mcg / ml. To study the functional activity of B lymphocytes, the mitogen of laconosa (PWM) was used at concentrations of 0.001; 0.01; 0.1; 1.0 1.0 μg / ml. The production of interleukin-1 and -2 was determined, as well as the content of immunoglobulins A, M, G in the blood of the subjects.The total number of lymphocytes (million / ml) was also calculated. Details of the method of immunological analysis described in the work of TP Maznina et al. (1988).
When studying the interaction of energy processes of the brain and immune reactions, we set three tasks: confirm the existence of mutual conjugacy of cerebral energy and immunological processes, determine how the SCP topography is related to various immunological parameters and explain the age dynamics of the relationship between cerebral energy processes and immune reactions. For this purpose, we used the correlation and variance statistical analysis.
The relationship of cerebral energy processes and immune responses was shown using the multiple correlation method. For the purposes of this study, it is advisable to consider the energy characteristics as an independent quantity, and immunological characteristics – dependent, because we are primarily interested in the effect of cerebral energy processes on immunological reactions. Multiple correlation revealed a connection between cerebral energy and immune processes in all three age groups .
The relationship between the characteristics of the SCP and immunological indicators
A. Age of the subjects 20-39 years
In: The age of the subjects 40-59 years
C: The age of the subjects 60-80 years
R is the coefficient of multiple correlation, p is the significance level. + – proliferative activity of T-lymphocytes under the influence of FGA; # – proliferative activity of T-lymphocytes under the influence of Kon-A; Ig A – immunoglobulin A; IL-1 is interleukin 1; Lm is the total number of lymphocytes.
Common to all three groups is the relationship of cerebral energy processes and functional activity of T-lymphocytes. In the subjects of the two senior groups, the energy processes also correlate with the proliferative activity of B-lymphocytes. In addition, in different age groups, there is a correlation between the SCP and the content of immunoglobulin A and the production of interleukin 1. Thus, it can be considered as an established fact that there is a conjugation between two processes: cerebral energy and immune.
The next question is to identify areas of the big hemispheres, in which energy processes are closely related to immune responses. In its simplest form, such a relationship can be found in the study of the pair correlation of immunological characteristics with SCP indices. Significant pair correlation coefficients were found mainly in the groups of the first middle and old age (tab. 9.2 – 9.4).
Correlation coefficients between cerebral energy and immunological parameters in healthy subjects 20-39 years
The analysis of pair correlation showed that in subjects aged 20-39 years, the correlation of SCP parameters is observed with the same immunological characteristics as in the case of multiple correlation.
Correlations were found between immune parameters and the hemispheric difference of SCP: the greater the difference of SCP between the right and left temporal region, the higher the proliferative activity of T-lymphocytes, determined by FGA. These results suggest that the prevalence of energy metabolism in the right hemisphere compared with the left is associated with an increase in the proliferative response of T-lymphocytes. A higher energy metabolism in the right hemisphere often indicates the initial stages of stress at which the immune response can be enhanced (Chapter 11, “Energy characteristics of brain activity and functional hemispheric asymmetry”).