Characterization of rat behavior in the elevated plus-maze using a directed graph. 2009

Julián Tejada, and Geraldine G Bosco, and Sílvio Morato, and Antonio C Roque
Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Av.Bandeirantes, 3900, Monte Alegre, 14040-901 Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. jtejada@usp.br

The elevated plus-maze is a device widely used to assess rodent anxiety under the effect of several treatments, including pharmacological agents. The animal is placed at the center of the apparatus, which consists of two open arms and two arms enclosed by walls, and the number of entries and duration of stay in each arm are measured for a 5-min exposure period. The effect of an anxiolytic drug is to increase the percentage of time spent and number of entries into the open arms. In this work, we propose a new measure of anxiety levels in the rat submitted to the elevated plus-maze. We represented the spatial structure of the elevated plus-maze in terms of a directed graph and studied the statistics of the rat's transitions between the nodes of the graph. By counting the number of times each transition is made and ordering them in descending frequency we represented the rat's behavior in a rank-frequency plot. Our results suggest that the curves obtained under different pharmacological conditions can be well fitted by a power law with an exponent sensitive to both the drug type and the dose used.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008433 Mathematics The deductive study of shape, quantity, and dependence. (From McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 6th ed) Mathematic
D008962 Models, Theoretical Theoretical representations that simulate the behavior or activity of systems, processes, or phenomena. They include the use of mathematical equations, computers, and other electronic equipment. Experimental Model,Experimental Models,Mathematical Model,Model, Experimental,Models (Theoretical),Models, Experimental,Models, Theoretic,Theoretical Study,Mathematical Models,Model (Theoretical),Model, Mathematical,Model, Theoretical,Models, Mathematical,Studies, Theoretical,Study, Theoretical,Theoretical Model,Theoretical Models,Theoretical Studies
D009480 Neuropharmacology The branch of pharmacology dealing especially with the action of drugs upon various parts of the nervous system. Neuropharmacologies
D009484 Neuropsychology A branch of psychology which investigates the correlation between experience or behavior and the basic neurophysiological processes. The term neuropsychology stresses the dominant role of the nervous system. It is a more narrowly defined field than physiological psychology or psychophysiology. Neuropsychologies
D003627 Data Interpretation, Statistical Application of statistical procedures to analyze specific observed or assumed facts from a particular study. Data Analysis, Statistical,Data Interpretations, Statistical,Interpretation, Statistical Data,Statistical Data Analysis,Statistical Data Interpretation,Analyses, Statistical Data,Analysis, Statistical Data,Data Analyses, Statistical,Interpretations, Statistical Data,Statistical Data Analyses,Statistical Data Interpretations
D005010 Ethology The discipline pertaining to the study of animal behavior.
D005106 Exploratory Behavior The tendency to explore or investigate a novel environment. It is considered a motivation not clearly distinguishable from curiosity. Curiosity,Novelty-Seeking Behavior,Behavior, Exploratory,Behavior, Novelty-Seeking,Behaviors, Exploratory,Behaviors, Novelty-Seeking,Curiosities,Exploratory Behaviors,Novelty Seeking Behavior,Novelty-Seeking Behaviors
D006799 Housing, Animal The physical environment in which animals are maintained. Animal Housing
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001007 Anxiety Feelings or emotions of dread, apprehension, and impending disaster but not disabling as with ANXIETY DISORDERS. Angst,Anxiousness,Hypervigilance,Nervousness,Social Anxiety,Anxieties, Social,Anxiety, Social,Social Anxieties

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