Pellow S, Chopin P, File S E, Briley M
J Neurosci Methods. 1985 Aug;14(3):149-67. doi: 10.1016/0165-0270(85)90031-7.
A novel test for the selective identification of anxiolytic and anxiogenic drug effects in the rat is described, using an elevated + -maze consisting of two open arms and two enclosed arms. The use of this test for detecting such drug effects was validated behaviourally, physiologically, and pharmacologically. Rats made significantly fewer entries into the open arms than into the closed arms, and spent significantly less time in open arms. Confinement to the open arms was associated with the observation of significantly more anxiety-related behaviours, and of significantly greater plasma corticosterone concentrations, than confinement to the closed arms. Neither novelty nor illumination was a significant contributor to the behaviour of the rats on the + -maze. A significant increase in the percentage of time spent on the open arms and the number of entries into the open arms was observed only within clinically effective anxiolytics (chlordiazepoxide, diazepam and, less effectively, phenobarbitone). Compounds that cause anxiety in man significantly reduced the percentage of entries into, and time spent on, the open arms (yohimbine, pentylenetetrazole, caffeine, amphetamine). Neither antidepressants nor major tranquilisers had a specific effect. Exposure to a holeboard immediately before placement on the + -maze showed that behaviour on the maze was not clearly correlated either with exploratory head-dipping or spontaneous locomotor activity.
本文描述了一种用于选择性鉴定大鼠抗焦虑和致焦虑药物作用的新测试方法，该方法使用了一个由两个开放臂和两个封闭臂组成的高架十字迷宫。通过行为学、生理学和药理学方法验证了该测试用于检测此类药物作用的有效性。与进入封闭臂相比，大鼠进入开放臂的次数显著减少，且在开放臂中停留的时间也显著缩短。与被限制在封闭臂中相比，被限制在开放臂中时观察到的焦虑相关行为显著增多，血浆皮质酮浓度也显著升高。新奇感和光照对大鼠在十字迷宫中的行为均无显著影响。仅在临床有效的抗焦虑药物（氯氮卓、地西泮，苯巴比妥效果稍差）作用下，观察到大鼠在开放臂上花费的时间百分比和进入开放臂的次数显著增加。在人体中引起焦虑的化合物（育亨宾、戊四氮、咖啡因、苯丙胺）显著减少了进入开放臂的次数百分比和在开放臂上花费的时间。抗抑郁药和主要的镇静剂均无特定作用。在将大鼠放置在十字迷宫之前立即让其接触一个洞板，结果表明大鼠在迷宫中的行为与探索性探头或自发运动活动均无明显关联。
