ArticleBMC microbiology2026
Early-life stress and adolescent circadian dysrhythmia drives unique behavioral and microbial profiles in rats.
Article in BMC microbiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectivesEarly life adversity and circadian disruptions are known to impact neurodevelopment and physiology. This study investigated the effects of maternal separation (MS), adolescent circadian dysrhythmia, and their combination (double hit) on anxiety-like behavior and gut microbiota composition in rats.
methodsRats were divided into four groups: CL (control group: normal early-life conditions with a standard light/dark cycle during adolescence), MS + N (maternal separation (MS) with a standard light/dark cycle (N=normal)) during adolescence), N + ALD (normal early-life conditions (N) with an altered light/dark cycle (ALD) during adolescence), and MS + ALD (combined exposure: MS with an altered light/dark cycle (ALD) during adolescence). Anxiety-like behavior and locomotor activity were assessed using the Open Field Test. Gut microbial diversity and taxonomic composition were analysed to identify microbial shifts across groups.
resultsBehavioral analysis indicated that the combined stress group (MSLD) spent significantly (p < 0.05) more time in the center of the arena compared to the CL, MS + N, and N + ALD groups, suggesting a compromise in risk assessment ability due to dual stress exposure. Microbiome profiling revealed that while a core microbiome was conserved, each stressor generated a unique taxonomic signature. The N + ALD group appeared as the most distinct outlier, characterized by the lowest number of unique features and a specific enrichment of the viral species of phylum Uroviricota. Conversely, the MS + ALD group was distinguished by an enrichment of Bacteroidota species, including Muribaculum intestinale and Phocaeicola vulgatus, while the MS + N group showed enrichment in Bacteroides acidifaciens. Mycobiome analysis showed that early-life stress was the primary driver of fungal restructuring, distinguishing maternal separation groups by the loss of Neocallimastix species and the competitive expansion of Piromyces finnis. While adolescent circadian disruption alone largely preserved the baseline mycobiome, the cumulative dual-hit stress (MS + ALD) generated a distinct dysbiotic profile evident by the unique proliferation of Anaeromyces robustus.
conclusionsIn conclusion, the developmental timing of stress exposure drives distinct dysbiotic shifts. Specifically, adolescent circadian disruption selectively targets the virome, whereas early-life stress causes shift in the microbiome which endures a long-term foundation for adolescent psychiatric vulnerability. Notably, the cumulative effect of early life and adolescence stressors results in a unique microbial and behavioral profile, highlighting that the specific developmental window of exposure is a decisive factor in gut-brain axis dysfunction.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.