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Anxiety responses in Balb/c, c57 and CD-1 mice exposed to a novel open space test.

Michalikova, Simona, van Rensburg, Ruan, Chazot, P L and Ennaceur, Abdelkader (2010) Anxiety responses in Balb/c, c57 and CD-1 mice exposed to a novel open space test. Behavioural brain research, 207 (2). pp. 402-17. ISSN 1872-7549

Item Type: Article

Abstract

In the present report we describe the behavior of two albinos (BALB/c and CD-1) and one pigmented (c57/BL6) strains of mice exposed to a novel open space anxiety test in a single 12 min session. The test is based on exposure of mice to an unfamiliar elevated platform which is extended on two opposite sides with steep slopes presented downward or upward. In the first experiment, the behavior of mice was examined on the elevated platform at two different heights (75 and 100 cm) with downward slopes. In the second experiment, we examined the behavior of mice on the platform at the lowest height (75 cm) but with upward slopes which lead to a stand. In the third experiment, we examined the behavior of Balb/c mice on the platform at the lowest height (75 cm) with downward slopes, and a hub enclosure providing a protected space located in the centre of the platform. The least anxious strain of mice was expected to take risks and cross onto the slopes (experiments 1 and 3) and onto the stands (experiment 2). The results of experiment 1 show that Balb/c mice did not cross onto the slope, and CD-1 mice made more crossings into and spent more time on the slopes than c57 mice. The increase in the heights of the platform reduced the number of crossings on the platform in all three strains of mice, and decreased the time spent on the platform before first entry onto a slope in c57 and in CD-1 mice. It also decreased the number of entries and duration of entries onto the slopes in CD-1 mice. In experiment 2, Balb/c mice did cross onto the upward slopes but significantly less than c57 and CD-1 mice but they did not cross onto the stands attached to the end of the slopes. CD-1 mice made more entries onto and spent more time on the stands than c57 mice. In the third experiment, Balb/c and c57 mice spent most of their time inside a protective space (cylinder) placed in the centre of the platform demonstrating strong avoidance responses of the outer area of the platform, and only three c57 mice crossed onto the slopes for a very brief duration in one or two entries. In all three experiments, mice entered more frequently and spent more time in the outer areas than in the inner areas of the platform, particularly in the areas adjacent to slopes than in the areas adjacent to a void space. CD-1 mice appears the least anxious taking more risks by venturing onto the slopes and onto the stands while Balb/c appears the most anxious spending a large amount of time in the areas adjacent to the slopes. The different configurations of the test apparatus (experiments 1 and 2) seem to provide different incentives for the drive to explore and escape which may account for differences in anxiety responses whereas the presence of a protective space (experiment 3) appears to encourage avoidance responses.

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Depositing User: Abdelkader Ennaceur

Identifiers

Item ID: 930
Identification Number: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2009.10.028
ISSN: 1872-7549
URI: http://sure.sunderland.ac.uk/id/eprint/930
Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2009.10.028

Users with ORCIDS

ORCID for Abdelkader Ennaceur: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-6398-4383

Catalogue record

Date Deposited: 19 Oct 2011 12:06
Last Modified: 18 Dec 2019 15:32

Contributors

Author: Abdelkader Ennaceur ORCID iD
Author: Simona Michalikova
Author: Ruan van Rensburg
Author: P L Chazot
Author: Simona Michalikova
Author: Ruan van Rensburg
Author: Paul Chazot
Author: Abdelkader Ennaceur

University Divisions

Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellbeing
Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellbeing > School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Subjects

Sciences > Pharmacy and Pharmacology

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