P2 RESULTS FILES.xlsx

This study investigated the effects of probiotic supplementation on cognitive function and brain physiology in rats exposed to chronic stress or environmental enrichment (EE). Probiotics were administered for three months before a six-week intervention. Probiotics prevented stress-induced spatial memory impairments and enhanced learning in EE conditions, linked to increased gut microbiome diversity. Probiotics also reversed stress-induced elevations in microglial marker Iba-1 in the locus coeruleus and mitigated blood-brain barrier disruptions. Additionally, EE groups exhibited higher tyrosine hydroxylase levels in the hippocampus. These findings highlight probiotics as a potential strategy for promoting cognitive resilience and brain health.