Open Field Anxiety Test
Objective: Assessment of anxiogenic behavior by measuring time spent in darkened compartment versus exploring the open field following CRF infusion into the locus coeruleus
This is a Open Field Anxiety Test protocol using Not explicitly stated as the model organism. The procedure involves 3 procedural steps, 3 equipment items, 1 materials. Extracted from a 1990 paper published in Journal of Neuroscience.
Model and subjects
Not explicitly stated • Not explicitly stated • unknown • Not explicitly stated • Not explicitly stated
Study window
Estimated timing pending
Core workflow
CRF infusion into locus coeruleus • Open field anxiety assessment • Measure behavioral outcomes
Primary readouts
- Time spent in darkened compartment
- Time spent exploring outside of compartment
- Frequency of venturing into inner squares of open field
- Nonambulatory spontaneous motor activity
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.
Confirm first
- Verify the animal model, intervention setup, and collection timepoints against the source paper.
- Check that every direct vendor link matches the exact specification your lab plans to run.
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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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CRF infusion into locus coeruleus
Bilateral infusion of corticotropin-releasing factor into the locus coeruleus at specified doses
Note: Doses ranged from 1-100 ng for anxiogenic testing; 100 ng used for motor activity testing; 10 ng used for swim test
View evidence from paper
“Infusion of CRF into the LC (100 ng) significantly increased nonambulatory spontaneous motor activity”
Open field anxiety assessment
Place animals in open field containing small darkened compartment and measure time spent in compartment versus exploring outside and inner squares
Note: Anxiogenic behavior indicated by increased time in darkened compartment and decreased exploration of open field
View evidence from paper
“Infusion or CRF into the LC (1–100 ng) significantly increased the time spent in the compartment and decreased the amount of time spent exploring the outside”
Measure behavioral outcomes
Quantify time spent in darkened compartment, time spent exploring outside compartment, and frequency of venturing into inner squares of open field
Note: All three measures serve as indices of anxiogenic behavior
View evidence from paper
“increased the time spent in the compartment and decreased the amount of time spent exploring the outside of the compartment or venturing into the inner squares”