Fig. 1

Experimental timeline. Two weeks following arrival, male and female rats were randomly divided into unstressed controls and experimental groups which got exposed to SPS. Two weeks later, a battery of behavioral tests was performed, and the animals were decapitated one day later. Stool samples were collected before SPS and on the day of open field test. Urine samples were collected before and during SPS. Vaginal smears were collected on the day of SPS and each behavioral test