Figure 3.

Assessments of anxiety- or depression-like behavior after BLG challenge. Behavioral tests were performed at 1- and 2-day post-challenge. (A) Digging frequency was quantified by two observers who were unaware of the experimental conditions. Either the presence (1 point) or absence (0 points) of digging behavior was recorded in every 10-s interval during the 10-min test period. The total points scored by the two observers were averaged and used as the final score for each mouse. (B) For EZM test, the average duration each mouse spent within the open zone per visit was computed by ANYmaze software and later validated by an observer. (C) Grooming frequency was quantified by two observers for scoring either the presence (1 point) or absence (0 points) of grooming behavior as described for the digging frequency scoring. (D) For TST, the number of immobility episodes was used as the measure of the mice's helpless behavior that reflected their depression-like state. (E) Total time mobile was also computed from the recordings during the digging behavior to verify their motility to distinguish their immobility from lethargy. Values shown in the bar graphs indicate the group average ± SEM, *p < 0.05, ***p < 0.001 (unpaired t-tests) n = 7–8.