Objective and rationale: Animal models are critical for the study of mental disorders and their treatments but are repeatedly criticized for problems with validity and reproducibility. One approach to enhance validity and reproducibility of models is to use test batteries rather than single tests. Yet, a question regarding batteries is whether one can expect a consistent individual behavioural phenotype in mice across tests that can be presumed to be part of the same construct. This study was designed to explore the relationship between the behaviours of mice across tests in some variations of test batteries for depression- and anxiety-like behaviours. Methods: Female and male healthy, intact, and untreated mice from the ICR and black Swiss strains were used in four separate experiments. With some variations, mice were exposed to a battery of behavioural tests representing affective- and anxiety-like behaviours. Data were analysed for differences between sexes and for correlations between behaviours within and across the tests in the battery. Results: No differences were found between the sexes. With very few exceptions, we found correlations within tests (when one test has more than one measure or is repeated) but not across different tests within the battery. Conclusions: The results cast some doubt on the utility of behavioural test batteries to represent different facets of emotional behaviour in healthy intact outbred mice, without any interventions or treatments. Additional studies are designed to explore whether stronger relationship between the tests will appear after manipulations or drug treatments.

中文翻译：

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探索雌性和雄性 ICR 和黑色瑞士小鼠抑郁和焦虑样行为的测试电池

目的和理由：动物模型对于精神障碍及其治疗的研究至关重要，但因有效性和​​可重复性问题而一再受到批评。提高模型有效性和可重复性的一种方法是使用测试电池而不是单一测试。然而，关于电池的一个问题是，是否可以预期小鼠在测试中具有一致的个体行为表型，这些测试可以被认为是同一结构的一部分。这项研究旨在探索小鼠在测试中的一些行为与抑郁和焦虑样行为的一些变体之间的关系。方法：来自 ICR 和黑色瑞士品系的雌性和雄性健康、完整和未经处理的小鼠用于四个独立的实验。通过一些变化，小鼠被暴露于一系列代表情感和焦虑样行为的行为测试中。数据分析了性别之间的差异以及电池测试内部和之间的行为之间的相关性。结果：两性之间没有发现差异。除了极少数例外，我们在测试中发现了相关性（当一项测试有不止一项测量或重复时），但在电池内的不同测试中没有发现相关性。结论：结果对行为测试电池在没有任何干预或治疗的情况下代表健康完整远交小鼠情绪行为的不同方面的效用提出了质疑。其他研究旨在探索在操作或药物治疗后是否会出现更强的测试关系。