Cook M N, Williams R W, Flaherty L
Wadsworth Center, Genomics Institute, Albany, New York 12201-2002, USA.
Behav Neurosci. 2001 Apr;115(2):468-76.
Anxiety levels were tested in an elevated zero-maze for 8 inbred strains of mice that are used widely in biomedical and behavioral research. Strain differences were observed for activity, latency to enter an open quadrant, open time, and defecation, demonstrating that genetic factors mediate anxiety in this paradigm. Three of the strains have the rdl mutation that causes retinal degeneration and were less anxious in the maze. To discern whether visual acuity is a source of difference on the maze, anxiety levels were tested in a congenic strain in which the rdl allele has been replaced with the wild-type allele. The congenic strain, with normal vision, had higher levels of anxiety. This study provides baseline data for the selection and use of any of these strains in pharmacological challenges in the maze, and provides a starting point for the identification of strains that may have appropriate backgrounds for targeted mutation studies.
在用于生物医学和行为研究的8个近交系小鼠的高架零迷宫中测试了焦虑水平。观察到各品系在活动、进入开放象限的潜伏期、开放时间和排便方面存在差异，表明遗传因素在此范式中介导焦虑。其中三个品系具有导致视网膜退化的rdl突变，在迷宫中焦虑程度较低。为了辨别视力是否是迷宫中差异的一个来源，在一个rdl等位基因已被野生型等位基因取代的同源近交系中测试了焦虑水平。具有正常视力的同源近交系焦虑水平更高。这项研究为在迷宫中进行药理学挑战时选择和使用这些品系中的任何一种提供了基线数据，并为鉴定可能具有适合靶向突变研究背景的品系提供了一个起点。
