A review of the validity and variability of the Elevated Plus-Maze as an animal model of anxiety

Temporary inhibition of dorsal or ventral hippocampus by muscimol: Distinct effects on measures of innate anxiety on the elevated plus maze, but similar disruption of contextual fear conditioning

“…It is possible that the different findings reflect an interaction of baseline anxiety levels and the effects of dorsal hippocampal muscimol on locomotor activity. Thus, in our study higher baseline anxiety levels, due to procedural differences, may have prevented the expression of locomotor hyperactivity that may result from dorsal hippocampal muscimol infusion , so that anxiogenic effects were detected; for example, we single-housed rats after surgery and tested them in their dark phase, whereas Rezayat et al (2005) group housed rats and tested them in their light phase, both of which may have contributed to increased anxiety on the elevated plus maze as compared to the study by Rezayat et al (2005) (Hogg, 1996;Bertoglio and Carobrez, 2002;Pohorecky, 2008). In contrast, if baseline anxiety levels are lower, dorsal hippocampal muscimol may induce locomotor hyperactivity and this may contribute to the increase of entries to and time on open arms.…”

Combined Exposure to Nicotine and Ethanol in Adolescent Mice Differentially Affects Anxiety Levels during Exposure, Short-Term, and Long-Term Withdrawal

“…Each test lasted 10 min and all testing sessions were performed between 0300 and 0700 in a sound attenuated room. (Elliott et al, 2004;Ferandes and File, 1996;Hogg, 1996;Rodgers and Dalvi, 1997). Considering that Entries OA is related to levels of locomotor activity, and that locomotor activity may be affected by activation or suppression effects of nicotine and ethanol, the percentage of open arms entries (%Entries OA: the number of entries in open arms divided by number of entries in open + closed arms (Entries OA + CA), an index that corrects for altered locomotor activity, was also used as a measure of anxiety (Elliott et al, 2004;Ferandes and File, 1996;Hogg, 1996;Rodgers and Dalvi, 1997).…”

The Gerbil Elevated Plus-Maze I Behavioral Characterization and Pharmacological Validation

“…As light intensity is an important factor when using the elevated plus-maze in rats and mice (Griebel et al 1993;Hogg 1996), the optimal light level for testing gerbils was first determined. The above behaviors were scored in separate groups of gerbils tested under low light conditions (5-Lux), and high light conditions (500-Lux).…”