The research hypothesis (question)
The research hypothesis of the article is to investigate the molecular and behavioral effects of the administration of chronic DEX (dexamethasone) on C57BL/6J mice.
The main study variable(s)
The primary variables include chronic DEX administration (level), body weight, depressive-like behavior (despair and anhedonia), anxiety-like behavior, and locomotor activity. The independent variable is chronic DEX administration. The dependent variables include body weight, depressive-like behavior (despair and anhedonia), anxiety-like behavior, and locomotor activity. Considering the independent variable (DEX administration) is determined by the amount of DEX administered, then the level of measurement of the variables is the interval. Besides, the variables are continuous; that is, the DEX is continuously administered on the same mice for several days.
Statistical test used
The statistical tests used include two-way ANOVA, t-test, and Bonferroni’s post hoc tests.
Conclusions made based on the results of the statistical test
Notably, there are numerous conclusions obtained from the statistical tests. First, the chronic DEX administration increased depressive-like conditions in the mice. Notably, immobility time increased while the time of climbing declined in DEX-treated nice. Again, chronically treated DEX showed severe loss of body weight, a characteristic common in depressed human beings and animals. Besides, the findings showed a significant difference in saccharin preference after 20 days of DEX administration. Mainly, there is an effect on GR-induced anhedonia, with a mean decline in saccharine preference of 20 percent in the DEX administered group in comparison to saline-treated animals. Finally, chronic DEX administration increased anxiety-related behaviors in mice.
Reference
Skupio, U., Tertil, M., Sikora, M., Golda, S., Wawrzczak-Bargiela, A., & Przewlocki, R. (2015). Behavioral and molecular alterations in mice resulting from chronic treatment with dexamethasone: Relevance to depression. Neuroscience, 286, 141–150.