Variation in the onset of CO₂-induced anxiety in female Sprague Dawley rats.

ABSTRACT: Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is commonly used to kill laboratory rats. Rats find CO₂ aversive and aversion varies between individuals, indicating that rats vary in CO₂ sensitivity. Healthy humans experience feelings of anxiety at concentrations similar to those avoided by rats, and these feelings are diminished by the administration of benzodiazepines. Our aim was to assess the effects of the benzodiazepine midazolam on individual thresholds of rat aversion to CO₂. Six female Sprague Dawley rats were repeatedly exposed to CO₂ gradual-fill in approach-avoidance testing. The first three exposures were to a control-treatment followed by three exposures to midazolam (0.375 mg/kg). Within each treatment aversion to CO₂ was not affected b

SUBMITTER: Amendola L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6908729 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature