To test if FoxO1 and FoxO3a have similar effects on anxiety- and mood-relevant behaviors, these behavior tests were applied to a line of mice systemically lacking FoxO3a (FoxO3a-deficient) (61). During the EPMT, both male and female FoxO3a-deficient mice tended to stay longer times in the open arms, but no significant difference was detected among wild-type, heterozygous, and homozygous FoxO3a-deficient mice (Figure 5a). This result suggests that FoxO3a has less impact on anxiety-like behavior than FoxO1. When tested in the OFT, the total travel distance and velocity were also similar among wild-type, heterozygous, and homozygous FoxO3a-deficient mice (Figure 5b), indicating normal locomotor activity in FoxO3a-deficient mice.
