Special features of anxious behavior in the elevated plus maze test and acoustic startle response were analyzed in 11 inbred mouse strains. A significant influence of the genotype both on the startle amplitude and behavior in the elevated plus maze was found. However, analysis of covariance did not reveal a genotype-related association between anxiety and startle amplitude. The data indicates that the fear-induced acoustic startle response and anxious behavior in the elevated plus maze (agoraphobia) are not genetically related.
Animals Anxiety