Figure 3.

CORT exposure leads to lasting decreases in lean mass in adolescent, but not adult mice. (a) In adult mice, treatment with both high and low doses of CORT decreased lean mass, with a main effect of treatment time (F_{4, 84} = 188.2, P < 0.0001), dose of CORT (F_{2, 21} = 42.54, P < 0.0001), and a significant interaction (F_{8, 84} = 69.07, P < 0.0001). (b) During recovery, lean mass normalized in adult CORT-treated mice, with a main effect of treatment time (F_{4, 84} = 22.97, P < 0.0001), dose of CORT (F_{2, 21} = 17.71, P < 0.0001), and a significant interaction (F_{8, 84} = 30.41, P < 0.0001). (c) In adolescent mice, treatment with both doses of CORT decreased lean mass, with a main effect of treatment time (F_{4, 64} = 179.5, P < 0.0001), dose of CORT (F_{2, 16} = 53.93, P < 0.0001), and a significant interaction (F_{8, 64} = 69.41, P < 0.0001). (d) During recovery, lean mass did not normalize in adolescent mice, with a main effect of treatment time (F_{4, 64} = 66.96, P < 0.0001), dose of CORT (F_{2, 16} = 14.01, P = 0.0003), and a significant interaction (F_{8, 64} = 22.27, P < 0.0001). Post hoc Tukey tests were undertaken to probe interactions, with * indicating statistical significance between high CORT and VEH groups, # indicating statistical significance between low CORT and VEH groups, and § indicating statistical significance between low CORT and high CORT, but not VEH (n = 4 to 8/age/treatment). Values are considered statistically significant at the P < 0.05 level.