Aron Test or Four Plates Test

Presentation

The Aron test or four plates test is an animal model of anxiety in which the exploration of the novel surroundings is suppressed by the delivery of a mild electric foot shock.

Basically, the apparatus consists of a cage floored by four identical rectangular metal plates (8×11 cm) separated from one another by a gap of 4 mm. The plates are connected to a shocker unit that can generate electric footshocks.

Following habituation period, the animal is subjected to an electric shock when crossing (transition) from one plate to another, i.e. two legs on one plate and two legs on another. Boissier et al. 1968 has described this test first. The number of punished crossings is generally calculated for a period of 60 s. A substance with anxiolytic properties induces an increase in the number of punished passages.

2 publications showing the efficienty of this instrument for your research work are available for download:

Effects of benzodiazepinic and GABAergic ligands on the anxiolytic-like activity of antidepressants in the four-plate test in mice, by Hascoet, Dubois et al.
(Poster presented at the Congrès P2T Physiology, Pharmacology and Thérapeutics in Toulouse, April 2007)
Click here to send a download request for this publication

Triggering factors for the abolishment of benzodiazepines effects in the four-plate test-retest, by B. Petit-Demoulière, M. Hascoet, M. Bourin et al
(Poster presented at the Congrès P2T Physiology, Pharmacology and Thérapeutics in Toulouse, April 2007)
Click here to send a download request for this publication


Key features

• An elegant and economical solution for screening anxiolytic drugs in mice
• Punishment based conflict test
• Shock with adjustable intensity