Can we predict mouse activity levels based on biological and environmental factors? Does gender influence activity, and if so, why? Let's explore the patterns hidden in the data.
Mice are nocturnal, meaning their activity should peak when the lights are off. But do males and females exhibit the same behavior? And how does the estrus cycle affect female activity? Therefore, by analyzing their minute-by-minute movement, we can determine whether external factors influence activity patterns.
Activity levels provide crucial insights into the behavioral patterns of mice. And by understanding how and when mice are most active, researchers can study biological rhythms, energy expenditure, and potential health implications. But do these activity levels remain constant, or are they influenced by external factors like gender, light cycles, or hormonal changes? Therefore, analyzing activity fluctuations allows us to uncover key behavioral and physiological patterns that can inform future studies in neuroscience and medicine.
The bar chart below compares the overall average activity levels of male and female mice across the dataset. But does this tell the full story? Let's dig deeper.
🔍 *Males appear slightly more active on average than females, but is this difference consistent across time?*
We see that males, on average, have a higher activity level than females. But this does not account for variations over time. Therefore, we need to explore individual patterns to see if all mice follow this trend or if some outliers exist.
This line plot tracks the activity of individual female mice over time. But females go through an estrus cycle every four days, which could influence behavior. Therefore, we should see fluctuations in activity that might correlate with their reproductive cycle.
📌 *Notice the peaks in activity every few days? These could correspond with the estrus cycle, suggesting hormonal influence on behavior.*
The data suggests that female mice experience spikes in activity at regular intervals. But is this a universal trend for all mice? Therefore, we must examine the male mice's activity patterns for comparison.
This graph represents the activity of individual male mice. Unlike females, males do not experience an estrus cycle. But do they still show periodic fluctuations in activity? Therefore, comparing male and female trends will help us isolate cycle-driven behaviors.
🔬 *Male mice do not exhibit the same cyclical spikes in activity as females, suggesting estrus plays a major role in female behavior.*
Unlike female mice, male mice display a relatively stable pattern of activity throughout the day. But does this stability mean all males behave similarly? Therefore, we introduce an interactive tool to explore individual patterns.
Select a gender and choose specific mice to compare their activity levels. But does the average reflect the reality of individual differences? Therefore, by toggling different individuals, we can observe whether some mice are more active than others.
Include Average of Selected Include Average of All⚡ *Use the interactive chart to uncover patterns! Do some mice deviate from the average trend?*
Our initial question was whether gender impacts activity. And we found that while males are slightly more active on average, female activity is influenced by the estrus cycle. But not all individuals follow the average trend. Therefore, while general trends exist, individual variation remains a key factor in behavioral studies.