[Behavioral models of anxiety in animals]

Abstract

Various behavioral models aiming at creating and studying anxiety in animals are reviewed in this study. Much emphasis is given to procedures where blockade (partial or total) of ongoing behavior is produced by aversive events such as punishment, non-reward (frustration) or novelty of the situation to which the animal is faced. Were analysed methodological characteristics that appeared particularly pertinent, and the respective limitation of each procedure. The effects of anxiolytic compounds (more often the benzodiazepines) thereon were interpreted.