Characterization of benzodiazepine-sensitive behaviors in the A/J and C57BL/6J inbred strains of mice.
Exploratory behaviors as well as pharmacological actions of gamma-aminobutyric acidA (GABAA)/benzodiazepine receptor agonists and inverse agonists were characterized in C57BL/6J and A/J strains of mice. C57BL/6J mice displayed higher levels of exploratory behavior than A/J mice in the light in equilibrium with dark exploration model of anxiety and in an open-field test, suggesting that C57BL/6J mice are less "emotional" and more active than A/J mice, respectively. However, C57BL/6J mice were more sensitive than A/J mice to the anxiolytic effects of diazepam in the light in equilibrium with dark exploration model. In contrast, A/J mice were more sensitive than C57BL/6J mice to the convulsant effects of methyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxylate. C57BL/6J mice showed no evidence of acquisition of a passive avoidance task, while A/J readily acquired this memory task at low levels of footshock. C57BL/6J and A/J mice should be useful parental strains in recombinant inbred lines for investigating the genetic determinants of benzodiazepine-sensitive behaviors and sensitivity to drugs acting on the GABAA/benzodiazepine receptor complex.
Mathis
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Section of Behavioral Neuropharmacology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.
Paul
S M
SM
Crawley
J N
JN
D000818:Animals; D001143:Arousal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002243:Carbolines / Q000494:pharmacology; D003292:Convulsants / Q000494:pharmacology; D003975:Diazepam / Q000494:pharmacology; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008805:Mice, Inbred A / Q000235:genetics*; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL / Q000235:genetics*; D008957:Models, Genetic; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000235:genetics*; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000235:genetics
D002243:Carbolines; D003292:Convulsants; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; C036150:beta-carboline-3-carboxylic acid methyl ester; D003975:Diazepam