Anxiogenic

An anxiogenic substance is one that causes anxiety. Anxiogenic effects can be measured by, for example, the hole-board test in rats and mice. [cite journal | author=Takeda, H and Tsuji, M and Matsumiya, T | title=Changes in head-dipping behavior in the hole-board test reflect the anxiogenic and/or anxiolytic state in mice | journal=European Journal of Pharmacology | year=1998 | volume=350 | issue=1 | pages= 21–29 | url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=9683010&dopt=Citation | doi=10.1016/S0014-2999(98)00223-4 ] A number of agents are used to provoke anxiety (anxiogenes) or panic (panicogenes) in experimental models . Some of the most common substances are: DMCM, sodium lactate, carbon dioxide (CO2), caffeine, yohimbine, serotoninergic agents, mCPP, adrenergic agents and cholecystokinin (CCK) (especially the tetrapeptide and octapeptide fragments CCK-4 and CCK-8) [http://www.semel.ucla.edu/adc/AnxietyCD/Panic%20Disorder%20Related%20Articles/Neurotransmitters%20in%20Panic.pdf]

Anxiolytic substances have the opposite effect: they reduce anxiety.

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