The elevated plus-maze is not sensitive to the effect of stressor controllability in rats

The present experiments examined the sensitivity of the elevated plus-maze to the effects of stressor controllability. Previous work had established that inescapable but not an equal amount of escapable electric tail shock reduced social interaction. The present experiments demonstrate that prior exposure to shock alters elevated plus-maze behavior, but that this effect is not sensitive to the escapability of the shock. These experiments include a replication of the usual pharmacologic effects of benzodiazepine ligands (2 mg/kg diazepam; 0.4 mg/kg methyl 6,7-dimethoxy-4-ethyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxylate) to demonstrate the sensitivity of the elevated plus-maze procedures used. The results provide additional support for the idea that the social interaction and elevated plus-maze measures of "anxiety" are sensitive to different processes.