Figure 3
From: Environmental novelty exacerbates stress hormones and Aβ pathology in an Alzheimer’s model
Differential corticosterone levels according to genotype and housing condition. APP/PS1 mice in SH had significantly higher levels of corticosterone in blood serum compared to healthy Wt control mice at 12 months, t (24) = 2.34, p = 0.03. There was a significant interaction effect of genotype × housing on levels of corticosterone, F(2, 66) = 3.76, p = 0.03. In Wt mice, there was no significant effect of housing on corticosterone, F(2, 28) = 0.31, p = 0.74. Housing condition produced a significant effect on corticosterone levels in APP/PS1 mice, F(2, 38) = 4.8, p = 0.01. Bonferroni adjusted post hoc tests revealed EE+ mice had significantly higher corticosterone levels compared to SH (p = 0.02). Moreover, EE+ mice had higher corticosterone levels than mice housed in EE (p = 0.049), however, this was no longer significant when Bonferroni correction was applied (p = 0.057). SH Wt (n = 9), EE Wt (n = 12), EE+ Wt (n = 10); SH Tg (n = 17), EE Tg (n = 12), EE+ Tg (n = 12) *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001.
