An elevated plus-maze in mixed reality for studying human anxiety-related behavior

BMC Biology

Methodology Article

Klaus Wiedemann¹  Daniel G. Biedermann²  Sawis Nouri²  Peer Briken²  Tim Kurjak²  Frederike Wenzlaff²  Johannes Fuss³  Sarah V. Biedermann⁴  Matthias K. Auer⁵  Jan Haaker⁶  Tina B. Lonsdorf⁶ 

[1] Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Center of Psychosocial Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany;Human Behavior Laboratory, Institute for Sex Research and Forensic Psychiatry, Center of Psychosocial Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany;Human Behavior Laboratory, Institute for Sex Research and Forensic Psychiatry, Center of Psychosocial Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany;Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Center of Experimental Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany;Human Behavior Laboratory, Institute for Sex Research and Forensic Psychiatry, Center of Psychosocial Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany;Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Center of Experimental Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany;Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Center of Psychosocial Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany;Human Behavior Laboratory, Institute for Sex Research and Forensic Psychiatry, Center of Psychosocial Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany;Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik IV, Klinikum der Universität München, 80336, Munich, Germany;Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Center of Experimental Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany;

关键词: Virtual reality;    Approach;    Avoidance;    Risk assessment;    Behavioral assay;    Anxiety disorder;    Acrophobia;    Sensation seeking;    Yohimbine;    Lorazepam;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12915-017-0463-6

 received in 2017-09-07, accepted in 2017-11-27,  发布年份 2017

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundA dearth of laboratory tests to study actual human approach-avoidance behavior has complicated translational research on anxiety. The elevated plus-maze (EPM) is the gold standard to assess approach-avoidance behavior in rodents.MethodsHere, we translated the EPM to humans using mixed reality through a combination of virtual and real-world elements. In two validation studies, we observed participants’ anxiety on a behavioral, physiological, and subjective level.ResultsParticipants reported higher anxiety on open arms, avoided open arms, and showed an activation of endogenous stress systems. Participants’ with high anxiety exhibited higher avoidance. Moreover, open arm avoidance was moderately predicted by participants’ acrophobia and sensation seeking, with opposing influences. In a randomized, double blind, placebo controlled experiment, GABAergic stimulation decreased avoidance of open arms while alpha-2-adrenergic antagonism increased avoidance.ConclusionThese findings demonstrate cross-species validity of open arm avoidance as a translational measure of anxiety. We thus introduce the first ecologically valid assay to track actual human approach-avoidance behavior under laboratory conditions.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Fuss et al. 2017

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