CO2 inhalation evokes differential freezing behavior in mice.
Mice were exposed to the CO2 inhalation paradigm (see layout)
comprising of habituation (A, D), CO2
inhalation (B, C and E) and context
exposure (F). (A) No differences in freezing during
habituation to context on Day 1 in mice exposed to air or CO2.
(B) Significantly higher freezing was observed in mice exposed
to CO2 in comparison with the air cohort on Day 2. (C) A
frequency distribution histogram of Day 2 freezing revealed subpopulations
within the CO2-exposed mice, with a group showing freezing behavior
that largely overlapped with air exposed mice (CO2-low,
CO2-L) and the other separated by higher freezing
(CO2-high, CO2-H). (D) Dichotomization using
a median split showed no significant group differences during habituation (Day
1). (E) During air or CO2 inhalation (Day 2),
CO2-H mice showed significantly higher freezing in comparison to
both air and CO2-L groups and no differences between air and
CO2-L cohorts. (F) Exposure to context on Day 3
shows significantly higher freezing in the CO2-H group as compared to
air and CO2-L mice. Data are represented as mean ± SEM; *p
< 0.05 versus air group or CO2-L group (N =
9–19 mice per group).