... human phenomenon and except for some of the associated somatic and autonomic changes, it has no obvious counterpart in experimental animals. In biological terms, anxiety may be defined as a form of behavioural inhibition that occurs in response to situations that are "new, non-rewarding or punishing". In animal models this behavioural inhibition translates as immobility, or suppression of a behavioural response such as bar-pressing to obtain food. In order to develop new anxiolytic drugs, it is important animal tests are available that give a good guide to activity in man. Examples of animal tests used to demonstrate anxiety are the rotarod and grip strength test, activity cages to measure locomotor activity, the elevated plus maze test, the fear potentiated startle paradigm, testing the righting reflex of mice, and the light-dark choice test where "anxious" mice appear to choose to stay in dark areas rather than light ones. Neuroanatomy of anxiety ...

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