Modulation of mice anxiety in response to cat odor as a consequence of predators diet

doi:10.1016/S0031-9384(98)00126-7

Physiology & Behavior

Volume 65, Issue 2, 15 November 1998, Pages 247-254

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9384(98)00126-7 Get rights and content

Abstract

BERTON, F., E. VOGEL AND C. BELZUNG. Modulation of mice anxiety in response to cat odors as a consequence of predators diet. PHYSIOL BEHAV 65(2) 247–254, 1998.—The effectiveness of predator odours as repellents was assessed, and the behavioral antipredatory responses were characterized. Mice had free access to an unfamiliar runway containing different olfactory stimuli: modelling clay, or feces of a cat subjected either to a vegetarian or a carnivorous diet. The first experiment revealed various indices of a spontaneous behavioral pattern that included exploratory activity, different kinds of emotionality, and a range of active or passive defensive reactions until the appearance of absence of risk assessment strictly related to presence or absence of anxiety. These reactions differ with larger responses to feces resulting from a carnivorous as opposed to vegetarian diets. In the second experiment, chlordiazepoxide (0, 2.5, 5, or 7.5 mg/kg) had a dose-related anxiolytic effect on exploration in mice of both vegetarian and carnivorous groups but could not totally reverse the strong anxiogenic effect of carnivorous stimulus on defensive mechanisms. These differences are related to the nature of the mammalian cues. This paradigm may be a fear-motivated model of animal anxiety.

Section snippets

Subjects

Eighty hybrids males B6D2F1/JLCo mice from Iffa Credo, France, 12 weeks old at the start of the experiments were used. Prior to experimental testing, mice were housed five to a standard cage containing a constant supply of food pellets and water. Subjects always kept in the same lab room were maintained on a 12-h light–dark cycle with lights on at 2000 h and so observed in their activity period when the lights were off.

The work reported in this paper was conducted in accordance with the Guide

Experiment 1

Behavioral changes in mice movement through runway and nest are seen on Table 1. Animals in presence of carnivorous odour show increased latencies to enter the central part containing the stimulus (Kruskal (K)= 6.212; p = 0.045) and the distal part with familiar food (K = 7.577; p = 0.023) compared to mice subjected to modelling clay (central and distal parts, respectively, p = 0.048; p = 0.025). The carnivorous group is differing from the vegetarian one as well (respectively p = 0.025; p =

Discussion

Exploration of various novel environments has been extensively validated as an animal model for the study of anxiolytic and anxiogenic drug effects 3, 4, 5, 16, 17, 18, 24, 31. In the present study, mice had no previous exposure either to runway or to odour. Novelty per se was surely an effective elicitor of conflictual, such as neophilic or neophobic responses. Novelty produces a pattern of defensive reactions comparable to those induced by threatening situations 11, 35. So-called fear

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Original ArticleModulation of mice anxiety in response to cat odor as a consequence of predators diet

Abstract

Section snippets

Subjects

Experiment 1

Discussion

A critical appraisal of chlordiazepoxide

J. Neuropsychiatry

Behavioural effects of the benzodiazepine receptor partial agonist RO 16–6028 in mice

Psychopharmacology

Anxiogenic effects of methyl-β-carboline-3-carboxylate in a light/dark choice situation

Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav.

Comparison of different behavioral test situations used in psychopharmacology for the measurement of anxiety

Physiol. Behav.

The effects of 5-HT1B characterising agents in the mouse elevated plus-maze

Life Sci

Effects of ethanol, benzodiazepines and serotonin compounds on ethopharmacological models of anxiety

MK-801 produces a reduction in anxiety-related antipredator defensiveness in male and female rats and a gender-dependent increase in locomotor behavior

Psychopharmacol

Antipredator defensive behaviors in a visible burrow system

J. Comp. Psychol.

Ethanol effects in an anxiety/defense test battery

Alcohol

An ethoexperimental analysis of defense, fear, and anxiety

Defensive reactions and exploratory behavior in rats

J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol.

Yohimbine potentiates active defensive responses to threatening stimuli in Swiss–Webster mice

Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav.

Effects of previous familiarisation on novelty reaction in mice: A behavioral analysis

Behav. Proc.

Effects of chlordiazepoxide and diazepam on feeding performance in a food-preference test

Psychopharmacology (Berlin)

Benzodiazepines as appetite-enhancing compounds

Appetite

Exploration of mice in the black and white box: Validation as a model of anxiety

Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav.

Exploratory behavior models of anxiety in mice

Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev.

Aversive and appetitive properties of anxiogenic and anxiolytic agents

Behav. Brain Res.

Novel odors evoke risk assessment and suppress appetitive behaviors in mice

Agress. Behav.

Effects of chlordiazepoxide on odor-induced risk assessment behaviors in mice

Psychonomic Soc. Bull.

Predator-elicited flight responses in Swiss–Webster an experimental model of panic attacks. Progress Neuro-Psychopharmacol

Biologic. Psychiatry.

Original Article
Modulation of mice anxiety in response to cat odor as a consequence of predators diet