Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 19, 2026

Elevated Plus Maze Test Combined with Video Tracking Software to Investigate the Anxiolytic Effect of Exogenous Ketogenic Supplements
Published on: January 7, 2019
Dose dependent effects of serotonergic agents on anxiety
M Kolcsar1, Z Gáll2, M T Dogaru3
1University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Tîrgu Mureş Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy Tîrgu Mureş România Gh. Marinescu street 38 540139 Târgu Mureş România.
Unlabelled:
The role of serotonin in depression and anxiety is still highly controversial. In this experiment the effect of two substances upon anxiety was studied in rats.
Methods:
Forty adult (45-55 weeks old) male Wistar rats were used to study the following behavioral parameters on elevated plus maze test: open arm and closed arm entries; open arm, closed arm and central square activity duration, open arm preference and total distance traveled.
Results:
A single injected dose of the antidepressant fluoxetine had no significant effect on animals' activity in the open-arm test, neither in a small dosage (5 mg/kgbw) nor in a higher one (10 mg/kgbw), whereas a single high dose of buspirone significantly impeded the open-arm activity of the rats. None of the substances influenced the general locomotor activity significantly, but the higher doses of buspirone mainly blocked the closed-arm entries and they even decreased the total distance traveled.
Conclusion:
Acute fluoxetine and buspirone administration influenced the rats' behavior in the elevated plus-maze test in a dose dependent manner. Anxiolytic effects occur after small doses but anxiogenic-like effects were noticed in rodents when higher doses were used.
Related Concept Videos
Anxiolytic Drugs: Benzodiazepines and Buspirone
Anxiolytic Drugs: Overview
Primary Types of Anxiolytic Drugs
1. Benzodiazepines:
Benzodiazepines bind to the GABA-A receptor in the brain, enhancing GABA's interaction. This action reduces neurotransmission, effectively blocking anxiety-associated limbic...
Antidepressant Drugs: Tricyclics, SSRIs, and SNRIs
Nonlinear Pharmacokinetics: Dependence of Elimination Half-Life and Dose Clearance
A study on guinea pigs examined the...
Antidepressant Drugs: MAOIs and Other Agents
Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents
Melatonin congeners like ramelteon (Rozerem) and tasimelteon (Hetlioz) selectively bind to melatonin receptors (MT1 and MT2) and thus mimic the actions of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. Tasimelteon is primarily used for non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder, common in blind patients. They are also used to treat conditions like insomnia...

