Antibiotic-induced microbiota depletion in normally-reared adult rats mimics the neuroendocrine effects of early life stress

•AIMD produced effects similar to MS180 on neurogenesis, behavior, and CORT levels.•AIMD caused a mild attenuation of the MS180-induced metabolic imbalance.•Hippocampal plasticity correlated with CORT levels, behavioral and metabolic outcomes.•Lactobacillus spp, Bacteroides fragilis, Clostridium coccoides, and Clostridium leptum correlated with behavior.•Lactobacillus spp, Bacteroides fragilis, and Clostridium coccoides, positively correlated with neurogenesis.