Further pharmacological validation of the BALB/c neophobia in the free exploratory paradigm as an animal model of trait anxiety. Belzung, C. & Berton, F. Behavioural Pharmacology, 8(6-7):541--548, November, 1997.
abstract   bibtex   
The present experiments were aimed at investigating the ability of established or putative anxiolytics to reduce the neophobia exhibited by BALB/c mice in the free exploratory paradigm. Results confirm the anxiolytic effects of the benzodiazepine receptor full agonist chlordiazepoxide (2.5-7.5 mg/kg), of meprobamate (15-60 mg/kg) and of ethanol (0.5-1.5 g/kg) and extend the pharmacological action of these compounds to a test situation devoid of anxiogenic components, that is to trait anxiety. The non-competitive NMDA antagonist MK 801 (0.04-0.16 mg/kg) elicited very similar behavioural effects. However, the alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonists yohimbine (0.5-2 mg/kg) and idazoxan (0.3-2.7 mg/kg), the barbiturate pentobarbital (3.75-30 mg/kg), the mixed 5HT2 receptor antagonist ritanserin (0.25-4 mg/kg) and the D2 dopaminergic antagonist sulpiride (8-32 mg/kg) failed to decrease neophobia in BALB/c mice. The discussion focuses on the adequacy of this animal model of human pathology. The BALB/c neophobia may not model panic attacks because of the absence of worsening by the panic-provoking agent yohimbine and the lack of attenuation by CCK-B receptor antagonists. Because of its chronicity, this paradigm may model generalized anxiety, a pathology that has been suggested to overlap trait anxiety.
@article{ belzung_further_1997,
  title = {Further pharmacological validation of the {BALB}/c neophobia in the free exploratory paradigm as an animal model of trait anxiety},
  volume = {8},
  issn = {0955-8810},
  abstract = {The present experiments were aimed at investigating the ability of established or putative anxiolytics to reduce the neophobia exhibited by {BALB}/c mice in the free exploratory paradigm. Results confirm the anxiolytic effects of the benzodiazepine receptor full agonist chlordiazepoxide (2.5-7.5 mg/kg), of meprobamate (15-60 mg/kg) and of ethanol (0.5-1.5 g/kg) and extend the pharmacological action of these compounds to a test situation devoid of anxiogenic components, that is to trait anxiety. The non-competitive {NMDA} antagonist {MK} 801 (0.04-0.16 mg/kg) elicited very similar behavioural effects. However, the alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonists yohimbine (0.5-2 mg/kg) and idazoxan (0.3-2.7 mg/kg), the barbiturate pentobarbital (3.75-30 mg/kg), the mixed 5HT2 receptor antagonist ritanserin (0.25-4 mg/kg) and the D2 dopaminergic antagonist sulpiride (8-32 mg/kg) failed to decrease neophobia in {BALB}/c mice. The discussion focuses on the adequacy of this animal model of human pathology. The {BALB}/c neophobia may not model panic attacks because of the absence of worsening by the panic-provoking agent yohimbine and the lack of attenuation by {CCK}-B receptor antagonists. Because of its chronicity, this paradigm may model generalized anxiety, a pathology that has been suggested to overlap trait anxiety.},
  language = {eng},
  number = {6-7},
  journal = {Behavioural Pharmacology},
  author = {Belzung, C. and Berton, F.},
  month = {November},
  year = {1997},
  pmid = {9832968},
  keywords = {Animals, Anti-Anxiety Agents, Anxiety, Behavior, Animal, Disease Models, Animal, Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, Exploratory Behavior, Male, Mice, Mice, Inbred {BALB} C, Motor Activity},
  pages = {541--548}
}

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