Prolonged ozone exposure effects behaviour, hormones and respiratory muscles in young female rats

► Female rats were exposed at 0.12 ppm of ozone during 6 h per day for 15 days. ► This increased drinking, grooming and resting. ► It decreased rearing, jumping-play and locomotor activities. ► Ozone exposure increased plasma levels of corticosterone and free triiodothyronine. ► Myosin heavy chain expression was affected in three of the five muscles studied.