The Four-Plate Test in Mice

The four-plate test (FPT) is an animal model of anxiety based on spontaneous response. Animals are exposed to a novel environment. The exploration of this novel surrounding is suppressed by the delivery of mild electric foot shock contingent to quadrant crossing. Animal can only escape from this aversive situation by remaining motionless (passive avoidance). This model of conditioned fear presents several advantages. It is a simple and quick procedure and there is no need for prior training of animals. In this test, benzodiazepines (BZDs) induce a strong antipunishment effect, which has been proposed to be a reflection of their anxiolytic activity. The FPT also allows the detection of anxiolytic effects of other non-BZD anxiolytic compounds such as selective serotonin (5-HT) reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) or mixed serotonin and noradrenaline (NA) reuptake inhibitors (SNRI).