Validation of a behavioral recording automated system in the elevated plus-maze test

The elevated plus-maze test has been widely used for screening of anxiolytic drugs and for exploring neurobiological bases of anxiety. In this study, we validated a new automated system that enables to record exploratory behavior in the elevated plus-maze test. This system, called cyberplus, consisted of ten pairs of photoelectric cells strategically located in several parts of the apparatus, and seemed to be sensitive to the position of the animal's forepaws, so it would yield scores in anxiety measurements and locomotor activity similar to those obtained by following the traditional procedure, that is, by analyzing videotapes by experienced observers. In order to assess this hypothesis, we exposed rats to the elevated plus-maze test and compared the scores obtained by cyberplus with the values recorded by two independent observers, conducting a correlational study with both kinds of recording procedures. The results obtained suggest the utility of cyberplus as a behavioral recording automated system in the elevated plus-maze test, making data collection and data analysis easier in exploring pharmacological and neurobiological bases of anxiety. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.