Experimental models of anxiety for drug discovery and brain research

Methods Mol Biol. 2010:602:299-321. doi: 10.1007/978-1-60761-058-8_18.

Abstract

Animal models have been vital to recent advances in experimental neuroscience, including the modeling of common human brain disorders such as anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia. As mice express robust anxiety-like behaviors when exposed to stressors (e.g., novelty, bright light, or social confrontation), these phenotypes have clear utility in testing the effects of psychotropic drugs. Of specific interest is the extent to which mouse models can be used for the screening of new anxiolytic drugs and verification of their possible applications in humans. To address this problem, the present chapter will review different experimental models of mouse anxiety and discuss their utility for testing anxiolytic and anxiogenic drugs. Detailed protocols will be provided for these paradigms, and possible confounds will be addressed accordingly.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Anxiety Agents* / pharmacology
  • Anti-Anxiety Agents* / therapeutic use
  • Anxiety* / drug therapy
  • Anxiety* / physiopathology
  • Behavior, Animal / drug effects
  • Brain* / drug effects
  • Brain* / physiology
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Drug Discovery*
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
  • Grooming / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred Strains
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Phenotype
  • Psychotropic Drugs / pharmacology
  • Psychotropic Drugs / therapeutic use
  • Stress, Psychological

Substances

  • Anti-Anxiety Agents
  • Psychotropic Drugs