Laboratory of Behavioural Physiology, Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (Bi.N.D.), Human Physiology Section "Giuseppe Pagano", University of Palermo, Corso Tukory n.129, Palermo 90134, Italy.
Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, Malta; Neuroscience Division, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
Physiol Behav. 2023 Nov 1;271:114346. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2023.114346. Epub 2023 Sep 9.
Anxiety disorders pose a significant challenge in contemporary society, and their impact in terms of social and economic burden is overwhelming. Behavioral research conducted on animal subjects is crucial for comprehending these disorders and, from a translational standpoint, for introducing innovative therapeutic approaches. In this context, the Hole-Board apparatus has emerged as a widely utilized test for studying anxiety-related behaviors in rodents. Although a substantial body of literature underscores the utility and reliability of the Hole-Board in anxiety research, recent decades have witnessed a range of studies that have led to uncertainties and misinterpretations regarding the validity of this behavioral assay. The objective of this review is twofold: firstly, to underscore the utility and reliability of the Hole-Board assay, and concurrently, to examine the underlying factors contributing to potential misconceptions surrounding its utilization in the study of anxiety and anxiety-related behaviors. We will present results from both conventional quantitative analyses and multivariate approaches, while referencing a comprehensive collection of studies conducted using the Hole-Board.
焦虑障碍在当代社会构成重大挑战，其在社会和经济负担方面的影响是压倒性的。对动物对象进行的行为研究对于理解这些障碍至关重要，从转化的角度来看，对于引入创新的治疗方法也至关重要。在这种情况下，洞板设备已成为研究啮齿动物焦虑相关行为的常用测试方法。尽管大量文献强调了洞板在焦虑研究中的实用性和可靠性，但近几十年来，一系列研究导致了对这种行为测定有效性的不确定性和误解。本综述的目的有两个：首先，强调洞板测定的实用性和可靠性，同时研究导致对其在焦虑和焦虑相关行为研究中的应用产生潜在误解的潜在因素。我们将展示来自常规定量分析和多元方法的结果，同时参考使用洞板进行的综合研究结果。
