Anxiolytic and anxiogenic drug effects on exploratory activity in an elevated plus-maze: A novel test of anxiety in the rat (original) (raw)

1986, Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior

PELLOW, S AND S E FILE Anxtolytw and anxtogemc drug effects on exploratory acttvtty tn an elevated plus-maze A no~el te~t oJ anrwty tn the rat PHARMACOL BIOCHEM BEHAV 24(3) 525-529, 1986--The current studtes further investigated the effects, mammal models of anxiety, of novel putatwe anx,olyt,c and anx~ogemc compounds beheved to reduce their effects by actions at the GABA-benzodmzepme receptor complex It was expected that the results would also provide further vahdatlon for a novel test of anx,ety based on the raUo of open to closed arm entries in an elevated plus maze m the rat The novel putative anxlolytlcs CL 218,872 (10-20 mg/kg ) and tracazolate (5 mg/kg) slgmficantly elevated the percentage of t~me spent on the open arms of an elevated plus-maze, consistent with thetr anx~olytlc act~wty in several other animal tests Also consistent w~th results from other ammal tests, no anxlolyt,c act,wty was observed for the phenylqumohne PK 8165 (10-25 mg/kg), the 3,4-benzodmzepme tofisopam (25-50 mg/kg), or busplrone (0 5-20 mg/kg) The benzodmzepme receptor reverse agonlsts FG 7142 (1-5 mg/kg) and CGS 8216 (3-10 mg/kg) had anx,ogemc actwlty in thts test, as did the atyp,cal benzodtazepme Ro 5-4864 (1-5 mg/kg) Interestingly, however, the benzodmzepme receptor antagomsts Ro 15-1788 (10-20 mg/kg) and ZK 93426 (5-10 mg/kg) had no anxlogenlc activity m thts test