PHYSICAL INACTIVITY OF MURINE RETROVIRUS INFECTED C57BL 6 MICE IS PREVENTED BY MELATONIN AND DEHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE/

LP-BM5 retrovirus infection and hormone synthesis modulate many physio logical systems that could affect physical activity, Infection induced oxidative damage and immunodeficiency of female mice which hormone su pplement prevented. Therefore, the effects of retrovirus infection and hormone supplementation were assessed on physical activity using a co mputerized video system. Retroviral infection increased activity when stationary while lowering average speed and resting time, Hormone supp lementation partially modified changes due to murine AIDS. Dehydroepia ndrosterone (DHEA) or melatonin (MLT) supplementation restored the ave rage speed; ambulatory time and distance traveled of retrovirus infect ed mice. MLT as well as the combination of DHEA + MLT increased body m ovement, but decreased average speed and distance traveled. Thus, retr ovirus infection had significant effects on physical activity. Further studies into the relationship between the DHEA and/or MLT and physica l activity will assert the contribution of these hormones to the treat ment of murine AIDS.