Modulating effects of environmental enrichment on stress-induced changes in the gut microbiome.

ABSTRACT: Environmental enrichment (EE) involves adding non-standard stimuli, such as running wheels, mazes, and cage mates, to standard animal living conditions to facilitate physical activity, cognitive stimulation, and socialization. Interestingly, exposure to EE can modulate stress and immune responses. However, it is unclear whether housing environments can modulate the effects of stress on the gut microbiome. This study aimed to explore the effects of three different housing conditions-deprived (DH), social (SH), and enriched (EE)-on the central and peripheral immune responses, the HPA axis, and the gut microbiome in 180 male and female mice. Mice were housed in either the DH, SH, or EE condition for 3 weeks starting from post-natal day 21. At 6 weeks of age, during the pubertal stress-sensiti

SUBMITTER: Smith KB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12152578 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature