Potentiation of the Startle Reflex as a Behavioral Measure of Anxiety

Abstract

Anxiety disorders are widespread in human populations. In the United States, for example, the 12-month prevalence for anxiety disorders has been estimated at 18.1% (Kessler et al. 2005). Despite the availability of some anxiolytic drugs, the need for reliable, translational models of fear and anxiety is therefore still present. Potentiation of the acoustic startle reflex has been widely employed as such in both rat and human studies, but so far little work has been done to establish this as a reliable measure in mice. This is unfortunate, as mouse behavioral models offer rich opportunities to investigate the genetic basis of both healthy and pathological fear states. The purpose of this review is therefore to examine the use of potentiated startle as a reliable and standardized behavioral measure of fear and exaggerated fear in mice. We will start by reviewing the literature on startle-based models of fear and anxiety in rodents and humans and conclude with a number of recommendations for implementation of procedures to obtain robust potentiated startle in mice, based on published studies and experiences from our laboratory. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)