Social isolation alters behavior, the gut-immune-brain axis, and neurochemical circuits in male and female prairie voles.

ABSTRACT: The absence of social support, or social isolation, can be stressful, leading to a suite of physical and psychological health issues. Growing evidence suggests that disruption of the gut-immune-brain axis plays a crucial role in the negative outcomes seen from social isolation stress. However, the mechanisms remain largely unknown. The socially monogamous prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster) has been validated as a useful model for studying negative effects of social isolation on the brain and behaviors, yet how the gut microbiome and central immune system are altered in isolated prairie voles are still unknown. Here, we utilized this social rodent to examine how social isolation stress alters the gut-immune-brain axis and relevant behaviors. Adult male and female prairie voles (n = 

SUBMITTER: Donovan M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7739176 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature