Data will be reviewed using the acoustic startle reflex in rats and humans based on our
attempts to operationally define fear vs anxiety. Although the symptoms of fear and anxiety …

Fear is an emotion that has powerful effects on behaviour and physiology across animal
species. It is accepted that the amygdala has a central role in processing fear. However, it is …

Stressful experiences are linked to anxiety disorders in humans. Similar effects are observed
in rodent models, where anxiety is often measured in classic conflict tests such as the open …

Anxiety and stress-related disorders are severe psychiatric conditions that affect
performance in daily tasks and represent a high cost to public health. The initial observation …

Prey species show specific adaptations that allow recognition, avoidance and defense
against predators. For many mammalian species this includes sensitivity towards predator …

Fear, which can be expressed innately or after conditioning, is triggered when a danger or a
stimulus predicting immediate danger is perceived. Its role is to prepare the body to face this …

The protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii blocks the innate aversion of rats for cat urine,
instead producing an attraction to the pheromone; this may increase the likelihood of a cat …

The plus-maze, the light–dark box and the open-field are the main current tests of
unconditioned anxiety for mice and rats. Despite their disappointing achievements, they …

In mammals, innate reproductive and defensive behaviors are mediated by anatomically
segregated connections between the amygdala and hypothalamus. This anatomic …

Background The highly prevalent parasite Toxoplasma gondii reportedly manipulates rodent
behavior to enhance the likelihood of transmission to its definitive cat host. The proximate …