Elevated Plus or Elevated Zero Maze
Elevated Plus or Elevated Zero Maze: These are tests of anxiety. Both elevated plus (EPM) and the newer elevated zero mazes (EZP) are available. The apparatuses are similar with 2 open and 2 'closed' arms or quadrants ('closed' sections have high, black acrylic walls). Animals are tested for 5 min. and the partitioning of time between open and closed regions is the principal index of anxiety/fearfulness. Testing conditions are arranged such that normal C57 mice and Sprague-Dawley rats spend ~30% of their time in the open. This test is videotaped and manually scored from tape or video tracked and computer scored using AnyMaze software (Stoelting Instruments).
