Figure 8

Gender difference in rTg4510 mice. Data from previous figures were plotted separately for male (open circle) and female (solid circle) mice. Error bars represent the standard error of the mean. Factorial ANOVAs were used to analyze the brain and CSF tau data for male and female mice at various ages with sex and age as the between subjects factors. A. Total Tau. Total tau levels were greater in the brains of female mice compared to males [main effect of sex, F(1,166) = 19.43, p < 0.0001], total tau levels varied as the mice aged and the age-related variation was different for females compared to males [Sex x Age interaction, F(9,166) = 2.43, p < 0.02] with the males catching up to the females by 24 weeks of age. B. PHF6 Tau. Female mice had higher levels of PHF6 tau compared to males [main effect of Sex, F(1,172) = 18.78, p < 0.0001] and PHF6 tau levels increased as the mice aged. C. Tau Aggregation. Female mice showed greater tau aggregation than males [main effect of Sex, F(1,170) = 6.59, p < 0.02], tau aggregation increased and peaked as the mice aged and the age-related variation was different for females compared to males [Sex x Age interaction, F(9,170) = 2.56, p < 0.009] with the tau aggregation peaking earlier in females than males (24 weeks vs. 28 weeks). D. CSF Total Tau. Female mice had higher CSF total tau levels compared to males [main effect of Sex, F(1,197) = 21.24, p < 0.0001], CSF total tau levels varied as the mice aged and the difference between females and males varied at different ages [Sex x Age interaction, F(11,197) = 2.31, p < 0.02] with similar levels being observed in females and males at older ages.