Abstract: The emotional stress induced by footshock apparatus as signal stimuli was investigated for its effect on the primary humoral immunity and endocrine response of rats. The reactivity of primary humoral immunity was tested by determing the value of specific IgG antibody after immunization with OVA, and the value of catecholamine and corticosterone were used to measure the endocrine response. Our results showed that ten minutes per day, six days uncontrolled footshocks could not decrease significantly the primary humoral immune response of rats, but footshocks and emotional stress together could decrease the anti-OVA IgG antibody production and spleen index significantly. At the same time, emotional stress could increase the levels of catecholamine and corticosterone significantly. It was concluded that immune and endocrine system were capable of reacting specifically to psychological stimuli.

Key words: emotional stress, primary humoral immunity, catecholamine, corticosterone