Fig. 1

The effect of DMF treatment on CUS-induced depression-like behaviours and weight gain. A The full experimental timeline is shown. B, C Timelines for the forced swim test and sucrose preference test. Effect of CUS alone or combined with DMF on D–F immobility, swimming, and climbing behaviour in male rats during the forced swim test. G Male rats exposed to CUS displayed anhedonia-like behaviour in the sucrose preference test that was normalized by DMF H group differences in weight gain in the male rats. Effect of CUS alone or combined with DMF on I-K immobility, swimming, and climbing behaviour in female rats during the forced swim test. L CUS decreased sucrose preference with no effect of DMF. M Group differences in weight gain in the female animals. The data are presented as mean ± SEM of N = 9–10 animals per group. *p < 0.05 and **p < 0.01 compared to vehicle and #p < 0.05 and ##p < 0.01 compared to CUS + vehicle. A one-way ANOVA followed by a Tukey or Games-Howell post-hoc test was used for all analyses