Fig. 3

Rats that received FMT exhibit cognitive impairment and systemic inflammation. Escape latency (A) and swimming speed (B) of the C group and P group rats from days 1 to 5 during the acquisition session of the MWM test. The swimming time in the target quadrant (C) and number of platform crossings (D) of the C group and P group rats on day 6 during the probe trial session of the MWM test. E Typical motion traces of the rats in the MWM test. Levels of TNF-α (F), IL-1β (G) and IL-6 (H) in the serum of the rats. Levels of TNF-α (I), IL-1β (J) and IL-6 (K) in the hippocampus of the rats. L Spearman rank correlation analysis of the relative abundance of the Desulfobacterota phylum and the level of TNF-α in the serum of the rats. M Quantitative analysis of Iba-1⁺ (microglial marker) cells. N Representative immunofluorescence images of Iba-1⁺ (red) staining in the hippocampus of rats (scale bar = 500 μm). O Representative immunofluorescence images of nuclei (blue) and Iba-1⁺ (red) staining in the hippocampus of rats (scale bar = 100 μm). Data are expressed as mean ± SEM. *P < 0.05, ^ns P ≥ 0.05