POMC and major depressive disorder: In other animals, Bravo et al. (2011) found L. rhamnosus (genus Lactobacilli) reduced stress-induced CORT and anxiety- and depression-related behavior of the mice, and Liang et al.’s (2015) results also showed L. helveticus NS8 (genus Lactobacilli) led to lower plasma ACTH and CORT levels, improved chronic restraint stress-induced behavioral and cognitive dysfunction of the rats.