Subchronic Arsenic Exposure Induces Anxiety-Like Behaviors in Normal Mice and Enhances Depression-Like Behaviors in the Chemically Induced Mouse Model of Depression

Figure 2

The effects of subchronic arsenic exposure on exploratory behavior. Normal mice and reserpine pretreated mice treated with 10 mg/L arsenic or drinking water alone were analyzed by the open field test (OFT) at 4 and 8 weeks. Each mouse was placed in a corner of an “open field,” allowed to roam the field and was automatically recorded within 10 minutes by a TM-01 Animal Video Behavior System. The representative images (motion tracking behavior) showing the mouse traveling patterns are shown in (a). Exploratory behaviors, including total ambulatory time (b) and % ratio of the time spent in all four corner zones (c), were measured during 10 minutes in mice. Each value/error bar is expressed as the mean ± SD of 8 mice. , , significant difference compared with normal control group. , significant difference from the reserpine group (Res).

(a)

(b)

(c)