Fig. 6

Pregnenolone supplements reversed hypothalamic inflammation and depressive-like behaviors in female mice. A Schematic illustration of the central pregnenolone (Preg) delivery and subsequent behavioral tests in female mice. Blue arrows show the injection phases. Schematic representation of the injection site in the third ventricle stained with Evans blue (bottom right, Scale bar 2 mm). B Transcriptional levels of hypothalamic Tnf, Il1b, and Il6, after i.c.v. administration of artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF) or pregnenolone (Preg), n = 6 mice/group. C, D Recorded parameters to assess sucrose preference in the SPT (C) and immobility in the FST (D) after i.c.v. administration of ACSF or pregnenolone, n = 6 mice/group. All data are presented as means ± SEM and were analyzed using one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni's post hoc tests. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001. AP anterior–posterior, ML medial–lateral, DV dorsal–ventral, SPT sucrose preference test, FST forced swimming test; i.c.v., intracerebroventricular