Repositori URV

Identifier: TDX:1282

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TDX1282

Authors:
Heredia Santaella, Luis

Abstract:
The zero maze test is an animal model of anxiety based on the approach/avoidance paradigm. This model is part of the methodology used in behavioral toxicology. This thesis begins with a prototypical study in the field of behavioral toxicology and it tries to solve some methodological issues. The first study showed differences in anxiety and spatial memory due to deca-BDE intoxication, the most brominated congener of the polybrominated difenil ethers. The second study showed the capability of the handling and social isolation procedures to modify the anxiety baseline of the animals. Moreover, a new parameter to distinguish between anxiety or activity alterations was proposed. The third study discusses about the use of C57BL/6J strain of mice in anxiety studies due to the difficulty in the interpretation of results. Globally, the results obtained in these experiments showed some of the difficulties that imply the use of this animal model of anxiety.