Animal model of anxiety: effect of nicergoline in the genetically hypertensive rats of Koletsky type and in the rats of Wistar strain.

The experiments were performed in the adult normotensive rats of Wistar strain and in the genetically hypertensive rats of Koletsky type; both sexes were used. The behavior in control and in Nicergoline treated rats was traced in holeboard and in the elevated plus-maze. In the control animals, when compared to the normotensive rats of Wistar strain, the genetically hypertensive rats of both sexes show elevated aversion towards open space and hight in the elevated plus-maze, reduced time spent head dipping in holeboard. The genetically hypertensive rats show maximal neophobia in the first minute of the first session in the holeboard. Nicergoline at the dose of 8 mg/kg b. w. reduced the aversion towards the open space and hight in elevated plus-maze only in the genetically hypertensive rats of both sexes. Moreover, Nicergoline in the genetically hypertensive males alleviates neophobic hypoactivity, increase head-dipping in the first session, increases head-dipping in the genetically hypertensive females in the second session. Nicergoline also decreases total time of locomotor-exploratory activity on holeboard in the males of both strains in the first session, in the second session the same effect of Nicergoline was found in all groups of rats except the genetically hypertensive females.