Effect of repeated stress exposures on body sensitivity to glucocorticoids and insulin

Abstract

Effects of repeated stress exposures on the sensitivity to exogenous glucocorticoids and insulin were studied. The reaction to glucocorticoids was assessed by the sensitivity of lymphoid organs and peripheral blood in response to administration of a synthetic long-acting glucocorticoid analog kenalog. Insulin sensitivity was assessed from the latency of development of insulin coma. Repeated stress exposures were found to appreciably limit the changes in the thymus and spleen caused by exogenous glucocorticoids. This permitted a conclusion about the capacity of repeated stress exposures to reduce the sensitivity of an organism to the effects of exogenous glucocorticoids. Moreover, these exposures reduced the latency of insulin coma development, this indicating an increased insulin sensitivity of the body. Combination of repeated stress exposures with drug blocking of adrenoreceptors with obsidan in a dose of 0.05 mg per animal increased the latency of insulin coma development.