Development of Anxiolytic and Depression-like Behavior in Mice Infected with Mycobacterium lepraemurium

•Murine leprosy is a chronic mycobacterial disease that does not infect the nervous system, however alterations in the prefrontal cortex, ventral hippocampus and amygdala have been associated with neurocognitive impairment.•Murine-leprosy infection elicited a suppressive immune response with high levels of IL-10 and IL-4 and spleno-hepatomegaly.•Chronic infection induces BBB disruption and neuroinflammation.•Murine leprosy atrophy the adrenal glands and increase levels of epinephrine, norepinephrine and corticosterone.•The immunosuppressive environment generated by the infection may affect the nervous and endocrine system integrity and function.