Patent ID: 7838262
Filing Date: 2010-11-23
Classification: A61P,G01N

Abstract:
1. A method for determining whether a human or non-human mammal experiences stress effect arising from exposure to a psychological stressor, in which a chemical inducer stimulates superoxide production in a control sample above basal, wherein basal is superoxide production in the absence of said chemical inducer, the method comprising: (a) incubating neutrophils in a control sample, which comprises whole blood that is free or substantially free of stress-induced activation or derived from an individual of the same species as said human or non-human mammal and not exposed to said stressor, in the presence of said chemical inducer; (b) determining superoxide production in said control sample in the presence of said chemical inducer under in vitro conditions that induce neutrophils to produce superoxide, wherein in said control sample there is increased chemically-induced superoxide production above basal; (c) incubating neutrophils in a test sample, which comprises whole blood obtained from said human or non-human mammal taken after exposure to said stressor, in the presence of said chemical inducer; (d) determining superoxide production in said test sample in the presence of said chemical inducer under in vitro conditions that induce neutrophils to produce superoxide; and (e) comparing increased chemically-induced superoxide production above basal determined in said test sample with increased chemically-induced superoxide production above basal determined in said control sample; wherein lower increased chemically-induced superoxide production above basal in said test sample compared to increased chemically-induced superoxide production above basal in said control sample is determinative of stress effect caused by said stressor.