*4.10. Statistical Analysis*

Statistical analysis was performed using OriginPro 8 (OriginLab Corporation, Northampton, MA, USA).

Glycemia values were compared by: (i) by two-way ANOVA followed by post-hoc Bonferroni test (for testing the significance of glycemia change, diabetic condition contribution, and of their interaction), (ii) by one-way ANOVA followed by post-hoc Bonferroni test (for testing the inter-group significance of glycemia change for each week after the STZ-induction of diabetes), and (iii) by one-way ANOVA followed by post-hoc Bonferroni test (for testing the intra-group significance of glycemia change between different weeks after the STZ-induction of diabetes).

Body weight values were compared as follows: (i) by two-way ANOVA followed by post-hoc Bonferroni test (for testing the significance of body weight change, diabetic condition contribution and of their interaction), (ii) by one-way ANOVA followed by post-hoc Bonferroni test (for testing the inter-group significance of body weight change for each week after the STZ-induction of diabetes), and (iii) by one-way ANOVA followed by post-hoc Bonferroni test (for testing the intra-group significance of body weight change between different weeks after the STZ-induction of diabetes).

Paw withdrawal latency values obtained in the hot plate test were analyzed as follows: (i) by two-way ANOVA followed by post-hoc Bonferroni test (for testing the significance of final latency change, diabetic condition contribution and of their interaction), (ii) by one-way ANOVA followed by post-hoc Bonferroni test (for testing the inter-group significance of the final latency change), and (iii) by unpaired Student *t*-test (for testing the intra-group differences between the initial and final latency).

Quantitative RT-PCR data were analyzed as follows: (i) by two-way ANOVA followed by post-hoc Bonferroni test (for testing the significance of *Elavl* expression change, diabetic condition contribution and of their interaction) and (ii) by one-way ANOVA followed by post-hoc Bonferroni test (for testing the inter-group significance of *Elavl-2* expression, *Elavl-3* expression or *Elavl-4* expression change).

Mean grey levels obtained by immunofluorescence data analysis were compared as follows: (i) by two-way ANOVA followed by post-hoc Bonferroni test (for testing the significance of Hu protein expression change, diabetic condition contribution and of their interaction), (ii) by one-way ANOVA followed by post-hoc Bonferroni test (for testing the inter-group significance of HuB expression, HuC expression or HuD expression change and (iii) by one-way ANOVA followed by post-hoc Bonferroni test (for testing the intra-group significance of ELAV expression change in control mice).

Data were represented in OriginPro 8 (OriginLab Corporation, Northampton, MA, USA) as the mean ± SD. Differences were considered significant at *p* < 0.05. Statistical significance is indicated in figures as follows: \* *p* < 0.05, \*\* *p* < 0.01, \*\* *p* < 0.001.
