Lateralization of Brain Trauma in Female Wistar Rats Determines the Immune and Neurological Status of Offspring

Unilateral trauma to the sensorimotor cortex in ambidextrous maternal female rats decreased the resistance of their offspring, as indicated by a reduction in the functional activity of natural killer cells. Offspring rats showed T-cell immunodeficiency regardless of the lateralization of the trauma in their mothers; this was more severe after right-sided trauma (both mature and immature T-lymphocytes were affected). The EMG pattern of evoked responses in offspring rats changed according to the lesions evoked by unilateral trauma in their mothers (in the muscles responsible for postural asymmetry). Cruder movement disturbances were also seen in offspring after right-sided trauma in mothers. Right-sided organic damage to the sensorimotor cortex in mothers evoked marked increases in negative emotionality and decreases in the motivation of orientational-investigative behavior in one-month-old offspring rats in the “open field” test.