Glucocorticosteroid-induced behavioral changes during endotoxinemia in rats

This work presents the results of a study aimed at investigating the behavioral patterns of rats in the model of experimental endotoxinemia and during glucocorticosteroid (GCS) administration. The experiment evaluated the changes in deep body temperature of rats during the first 4 hours after injection of LPS at a dosage of 1 mg/kg and the investigated GCS preparations at a dosage of 2 mg/kg. The data obtained showed that injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) causes a significant increase in the body temperature of animals, while the administration of GCS has an anti-inflammatory effect, reducing this reaction. The Open Field Test was able to demonstrate an increase in behavioral patterns such as frizzing and grooming, as well as a decrease in general activity and avoidance of the central part of the arena in animals of the group that received LPS. This may indicate an increase in anxiety and the development of pathological processes in the animals. However, in the groups with simultaneous administration of LPS and GCS, the same indices were within the limits characteristic of the control group, which indicates in favor of suppression of negative effects due to the anti-inflammatory effect of GCS.