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. 2011 Dec 1;70(11):1024–1032. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2011.08.005

Figure 1.

Figure 1

Postnatal treatment with the serotonin type 2 receptor antagonist, ketanserin (Ket), blocks the enhanced adult anxiety responses associated with maternal separation in the open field test. Shown is a schematic for the treatment paradigms (A). Pups from control (Ctl) and maternal separation (MS) groups were fed either vehicle (Veh) or Ket daily from postnatal days (P) 2 to 14 and their behavior was assessed in the open field test in adulthood (P90). (B) Shown are representative tracks of the behavior of adult Ctl and MS animals (fed either Veh or Ket) in an open field arena. Maternal separation resulted in a significant decrease in both number of entries (C) and the percent path length (D) traversed in the center of the open field arena. Postnatal serotonin type 2 receptor blockade with Ket prevented the enhanced anxiety observed in MS animals, as measured by number of entries (C) and percent path length (D) in the center of the open field. Postnatal Ket treatment to control animals did not alter anxiety behavior as compared with Veh-administered Ctl animals. The results are expressed as the mean ± SEM number of entries into or percent path length in the center of the open field (n = 4–7 per group). (*p < .05 as compared with Ctl, $p < .05 as compared with MS; analysis of variance and Bonferroni post hoc test).