{"id":61,"date":"2026-02-18T19:59:12","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T19:59:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/behavior-tools.com\/?page_id=61"},"modified":"2026-02-18T19:59:12","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T19:59:12","slug":"open-field-test-en","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/behavior-tools.com\/index.php\/open-field-test-en\/","title":{"rendered":"OPEN FIELD TEST (EN)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Open Field Test (OFT) in Zebrafish<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Scientific Overview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Open Field Test (OFT) is a classical exploratory and anxiety-related behavioral assay originally developed in rodents by Calvin S. Hall (1934). It was adapted to zebrafish (Danio rerio) in the mid-2000s as a translational paradigm for locomotor activity, thigmotaxis, and anxiety-like behavior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is currently one of the most widely used assays in behavioral pharmacology, neurotoxicology, and phenotyping studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Historical Background<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Rodent origin:<br>Hall, 1934 \u2014 emotionality in rats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Zebrafish adaptation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Blaser &amp; Gerlai, 2006 \u2014 DOI: 10.1016\/j.bbr.2006.02.005<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Maximino et al., 2010 \u2014 DOI: 10.1016\/j.bbr.2009.12.031<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The assay was validated pharmacologically using anxiolytic and anxiogenic compounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Neurobiological Basis<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The OFT reflects activity in:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Serotonergic system (5-HT1A modulation)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dopaminergic mesencephalic circuits<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hypothalamic\u2013Pituitary\u2013Interrenal (HPI) axis<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pallial regions homologous to limbic cortex<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Scientific Objectives<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The OFT quantifies:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Thigmotaxis (wall preference)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Exploratory drive<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Locomotor activity<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Anxiety-like avoidance of center zone<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Standardized Experimental Methodology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Apparatus<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Square tank: 20 \u00d7 20 \u00d7 15 cm<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Water temperature: 28 \u00b1 0.5 \u00b0C<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Illumination: 100 lux (diffuse)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Recording duration: 6 minutes<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Video tracking: \u226530 fps<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Procedure<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Acclimation in testing room (30 min)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Individual transfer with minimal handling stress<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Immediate recording<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Automated tracking (e.g., EthoVision XT)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Primary Parameters<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Total distance traveled (cm)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Time in center (%)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Number of center entries<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mean velocity<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Angular velocity<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Positive Controls<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Diazepam (1 mg\/L) \u2192 reduced anxiety<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Caffeine (100 mg\/L) \u2192 increased anxiety<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Statistical Analysis<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Normality test (Shapiro\u2013Wilk)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>One-way or two-way ANOVA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tukey post hoc<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Effect size (\u03b7\u00b2)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Statistical power \u2265 0.8<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Outlier detection via Grubbs\u2019 test<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">6. Applications<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Anxiolytic screening<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>CRISPR gene knockout phenotyping<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Neurotoxicity detection<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Heavy metal exposure studies<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Psychopharmacology<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">7. Limitations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Locomotor confounding effects<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Handling stress sensitivity<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Strain-dependent variability<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Laboratory standardization issues<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">8. OECD Regulatory Context<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Although not formally included in OECD Test Guidelines, the OFT may complement:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>OECD TG 236 (Fish Embryo Acute Toxicity)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>OECD TG 203 (Acute Fish Toxicity)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>OECD TG 210 (Early Life Stage Toxicity)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>It serves as a sublethal mechanistic endpoint for neurobehavioral toxicity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">9. Key References<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Maximino et al., 2010. Behavioural Brain Research. DOI: 10.1016\/j.bbr.2009.12.031<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Blaser &amp; Gerlai, 2006. Behavioural Brain Research. DOI: 10.1016\/j.bbr.2006.02.005<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wong et al., 2010. Nature Protocols. DOI: 10.1038\/nprot.2010.119<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Stewart et al., 2014. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. DOI: 10.1016\/j.pnpbp.2013.10.014<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Open Field Test (OFT) in Zebrafish Scientific Overview The Open Field Test (OFT) is a classical exploratory and anxiety-related behavioral assay originally developed in rodents by Calvin S. Hall (1934). It was adapted to zebrafish (Danio rerio) in the mid-2000s as a translational paradigm for locomotor activity, thigmotaxis, and anxiety-like behavior. It is currently one [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-61","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/behavior-tools.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/61","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/behavior-tools.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/behavior-tools.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/behavior-tools.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/behavior-tools.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=61"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/behavior-tools.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/61\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":62,"href":"https:\/\/behavior-tools.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/61\/revisions\/62"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/behavior-tools.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=61"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}