Fig 1: The effect of pinealectomy on ASMase level (A) and activity (B) in the hippocampus in 3, 14-, and 18-month-old rats. Data are presented as mean ± SEM. Two-way ANOVA indicated a main age effect [F2,35 = 6.584, p = 0.003], surgery effect [F1,46 = 7.223, p = 0.010] for ASMase level; ** p = 0.002, 14-month-old sham rats vs. 3-month-old sham rats; and ** p = 0.005, 18-month-old sham rats vs. 3-month-old sham rats (A). Two-way ANOVA showed a major age effect for the ASMase activity: F2,45 = 647.244, p < 0.001], and *** p < 0.001, 18-month-old sham rats vs. 3- and 14-month-old sham rats (B).