The effect of benzodiazepines and atropine on exploratory behaviour and motor activity of mice

Abstract

Summary Male albino mice were watched in red light on a tunnel board to test exploration and their motor activity was assessed in an open cage, 30 min after intraperitoneal injection of drugs. Atropine and methylatropine 5 or 10 mg/kg did not alter the motor activity of the mice, while chlordiazepoxide 25 or 50 mg/kg and diazepam 10 or 20 mg/kg increased the activity, especially at the lower of the two doses used. All the compounds used except methylatropine adversely affected the exploratory behaviour. When atropine 10 mg/kg was given with the benzodiazepines, the activity of the mice was reduced and exploratory behaviour was further impaired. Methylatropine did not have this effect.

The use of a plus-maze to measure anxiety in the mouse

“…Chlordiazepoxide has a biphasic dose-response curve on measures of locomotion and exploration (Ahtee and Shillito 1970;Noland and Parkes 1973). The apparent discrepancy between the two experiments may have resulted from the different doses used.…”

Neotic preferences in laboratory rodents: Issues, assessment and substrates

“…There is also the possibility that head dipping could involve attempts to find an escape route rather than reflect a genuine interest in objects underneath the holes (Renner, 1990) particularly in the light of head dipping by rats in the absence of objects (File and Wardill, 1975), and tunnel entries by mice in a tunnel board (Ahtee and Shillito, 1970).…”

Monoamine mediation of the morphine‐induced activation of mice

“…The anticholinergic drug atropine when given in a dose of either 2 or 10 mg/kg had no effect on the activation response to morphine (Table 2). Atropine is known to have no effect on the spontaneous motor activity of mice but to reduce their exploratory behaviour (Ahtee & Shillito, 1970).…”