Figure 2.

Anxiolytic and antidepressant effects of B. adolescentis in chronic restraint stress (CRS) mice. The mice in the Con, CRS, and Bif+CRS groups were treated with 10 mL/kg distilled water, 10 mL/kg distilled water, and 0.25 × 10⁹ CFU/kg B. adolescentis, respectively, by gavage for 21 days. (A) The schedules show the establishment of the CRS model, treatment, and behavioral tests. (B) The OFT showed that the time spent in the center was significantly decreased in the CRS group, and the change in the time spent in the center induced by CRS was reversed by B. adolescentis. (C) The OFT showed no significant difference among the three groups in the total distance traveled. (D) The EPM test showed no significant difference in the total number of entries induced by B. adolescentis. (E) The number of entries into the open arms of the EPM was significantly increased in the B. adolescentis group. (F) The time spent in the open arms of the EPM was significantly increased in the B. adolescentis group. (G) The TST showed that the immobility duration was significantly increased in the CRS group; the change in the immobility duration induced by CRS was reversed by B. adolescentis. (H) The FST showed that the immobility duration was significantly increased in the CRS group; the change in the immobility duration induced by CRS was reversed by B. adolescentis. The data are shown as the mean ± SEM. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by the Student-Newman-Keuls test was used. *p < 0.05 and **p < 0.01 vs. the control; ^#p < 0.05 and ^##p < 0.01 vs. the CRS group; n = 12 per group. Con, Control; CRS, chronic restraint stress; Bif+CRS, B. adolescentis + chronic restraint stress; OFT, open field test; EPM, elevated plus-maze; TST, tail suspension test; FST, forced swimming test.