 Ethologically based approaches to the study of anxiety have been shown to provide valuable insights into the complexity of the phenomenon. These approaches have yielded detailed behavioral profiles which can be used to identify the precise nature of the anxiety related behaviors observed in animals. Furthermore, these techniques have allowed for the identification of novel compounds with therapeutic potential and the investigation of the underlying mechanisms involved in emotional behavior. This article was authored by R. J. Rogers, B. J. Chow, Adolvi and others.