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. 2011 Apr 1;2(2):117-121.
doi: 10.1016/j.eurger.2011.01.002.

Spatial Memory Performance Associated with Measures of Immune Function in Elderly Female Rhesus Macaques

Gwendolen E Haley  1 , Henryk F Urbanski, Steven G Kohama, Ilhem Messaoudi, Jacob Raber
Affiliations

Spatial Memory Performance Associated with Measures of Immune Function in Elderly Female Rhesus Macaques

Gwendolen E Haley et al. Eur Geriatr Med. .

Abstract

We recently reported that in aged female rhesus macaques, spatial learning and memory correlates with circadian sleep-wake measures and hippocampal muscarinic type 1 (M(1)) receptor binding. To investigate if spatial memory also correlates with measures of immune function, we now assessed the magnitude of the adaptive immune response to vaccination in the same old female rhesus macaques. Cognitively characterized animals were classified as good spatial performers (GSP) or poor spatial performers (PSP) based on performance in the Spatial Foodport maze. The GSP group had higher frequency of CD8, but not CD4, interferon-γ (IFN-γ) producing cells following vaccination compared to the PSP group, suggesting a stronger CD8 T cell response in the GSP group. In addition, the number of CD-8 IFN-γ positive cells correlated with measures of sleep quality. Interestingly, the PSP group had a significantly higher antibody titer compared to the GSP group, and antibody titer negatively correlated with day-time activity. Thus, in aged female rhesus macaques, superior cognitive performance is correlated with a more robust CD8 T cell response but a reduced antibody response to vaccination.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Percentage of CD4 (A) and CD8 (B) of IFN-γ positive cells following primary (Days a) as well as booster vaccination (Days b) in good spatial performers (GSP; black bars) and poor spatial performers (PSP; white bars). **P < 0.01.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Representative correlations between immune measures, circadian activity, and muscarinic receptor binding affinity. Correlation between the percentage of CD8 IFN-γ 14 days following booster vaccination (14b) and (A) Average Light:Dark (L:D) activity ratio (r = 0.89), (B) Average number of wake bouts (r = − 0.82), (C) and 1/M1 binding affinity (Kd; r = 0.66). (D) Correlation between Antibody Titer (Day 14b) and average night-time activity (r = 0.77).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Antibody titers on days 7, 14, and 30 following booster vaccination in good spatial performers (GSP; black) and poor spatial performers (PSP; white). *P < 0.05
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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