BEHAVIOR OF MRL MICE - AN ANIMAL-MODEL OF DISTURBED BEHAVIOR IN SYSTEMIC AUTOIMMUNE-DISEASE

Evidence is reviewed indicating that development of lupus-like disease in the MRL-lpr substrain of mice coincides with a change in behaviour , suggestive of altered emotional reactivity and cognitive performance . The altered behaviour, termed 'autoimmunity-associated behavioural s yndrome', is related to abnormal autoantibody and cytokine production. Moreover, immunosuppressive treatment with cyclophosphamide prevents the appearance of some behavioural deficits. It is argued that the MRL strain of mice constitute an animal model of behavioural dysfunction in autoimmune disease, and can be used to investigate the mechanisms b y which an insidious autoimmune/inflammatory process alters mood and b ehaviour and may result in some forms of mental disorders.