Relations between open-field, elevated plus-maze, and emergence tests in C57BL/6JIco and BALB/cAnN@Ico mice injected with ethanol.

The effects of ethanol were examined on three tests of exploratory activity in two mouse strains. Although ethanol reduced open-field rearing in both strains, it increased ambulation only in the less active BALB/cAnN@Ico strain, not in the C57BL/6JIco strain. Likewise, ethanol increased open and enclosed arm entries in the elevated plus-maze only in the more anxious BALB/cAnN@Ico strain. However, both strains injected with ethanol emerged faster than placebo from a small chamber at doses not affecting behaviors in the other two tests. Significant correlations were found between emergence latencies on one hand and either slow stereotyped movements or open and enclosed arm entries on the other. The strain-specific effects may be attributable to differences in GABA(A) -related receptor binding or catalase activity.