Source Paper
Cognitive neurobehavior and synaptic plasticity after vagus nerve stimulation in female rats: Interaction between estrous cycle and neurostimulation
Olsen LK, Jones KA, Sharma B, Ethridge VT, Gargas NM et al.
Bioelectron Med • 2026
Elevated Zero Maze (EZM)
Objective: To identify changes in anxiolytic-like behavior
This is a Elevated Zero Maze (EZM) protocol using Rat as the model organism. The procedure involves 4 procedural steps, 2 equipment items, 3 materials. Extracted from a 2026 paper published in Bioelectron Med.
Model and subjects
Rat • Sprague-Dawley • Female • 10-12 weeks • 44
Study window
Estimated timing pending
Core workflow
Platform setup • Animal placement • Testing session
Primary readouts
- Anxiolytic-like behavior changes
Key equipment and reagents
Use this page as an execution guide, then fall back to the source paper whenever you need exact exclusions, dosing details, or assay-specific caveats.
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- Verify the animal model, intervention setup, and collection timepoints against the source paper.
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- Jump to Experimental Context for readouts, data shape, and analysis flow before planning downstream analysis.
Protocol Steps
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Platform setup
Use a 100 cm diameter circular platform elevated 65 cm above ground, divided into four equal arms with two opposing open arms and two opposing enclosed arms with 30 cm dark walls
View evidence from paper
“The 100 cm diameter circular platform was elevated 65 cm above the ground floor. Divided into four equal arms”
Animal placement
Place animals in the middle of a closed arm, randomizing between the relative left or right closed arm for each trial
View evidence from paper
“Animals were placed in the middle of a closed arm (randomized for each trial between the relative left or right closed arm)”
Testing session
Allow the animal to explore for five minutes without an experimenter within view while monitoring activity
View evidence from paper
“The animal was allowed to explore without an experimenter within view for five minutes while their activity was monitored”
Data collection
Record behavior using video tracking system throughout the five-minute session
View evidence from paper
“their activity was monitored using Ethovision XT (v11.5, Noldus)”