Chronic stress facilitates behavioral engagement and alters lateral habenula activity during flexible decision making in a sex-dependent manner

Key Points

• Chronic stress enhances behavioral engagement during flexible decision making, indicating unique pathways involved.
• The lateral habenula shows distinct activity patterns based on sex, potentially influencing decision strategies.
• Analysis using behavioral engagement metrics assesses the impact of chronic stress on decision making dynamics.
• Findings highlight the need for considering sex differences in studies on stress and cognitive processes.