What is the Elevated Plus Maze?

The Elevated Plus Maze (EPM) is the most widely used model for assessing anxiety-like behavior in rodents. The apparatus consists of two open arms and two enclosed arms arranged in a cross (+) shape, elevated 60 cm above the floor. Rodents naturally prefer the darker, protected closed arms over the exposed, bright open arms — a behavior that is consistently suppressed by anxiolytic drugs and augmented by anxiogenic treatments. Time in open arms and number of open arm entries are the validated primary endpoints, providing a pharmacologically sensitive, ethoexperimental measure of anxiety that requires no prior training.

Key Features

• Non-Reflective, Anti-Glare Surface: The entire maze is treated with a non-reflective coating that eliminates glare and ensures accurate, uninterrupted video tracking without artifact reflections from overhead lighting.
• Textured, Warm Surface: The arm floors use a lightly textured surface that provides natural traction for rodents without causing discomfort, reducing grip-related locomotor confounds.
• Easily Detachable Closed Arms: The enclosing walls of the closed arms are held magnetically and can be removed quickly for cleaning or for creating novel open-arm-only configurations to test exploration drives.
• Metal Leg Support: Four robust metal legs provide a stable, vibration-free platform at the 60 cm standard height, preventing mechanical disturbance from floor movements or nearby equipment.
• Rat and Mouse Sizes: Cat. 40142 (rats: 110 cm open corridor, 10 cm wide) and Cat. 40143 (mice: 80 cm corridor, 5 cm wide) ensure species-appropriate arm dimensions for natural exploratory behavior.