Amygdaloid involvement in the defensive behavior of mice exposed to the open elevated plus-maze

•Exposure of mice to the open elevated plus maze (oEPM) elicits defensive behaviors.•Inactivation of the amygdala complex leads to anxiolytic effects in oEPM-exposed mice.•oEPM exposure increases Fos labeled cells in the amygdala.•Basolateral amygdala (BLA) shows more Fos-positive cells than central amygdala (CeA).•BLA plays a role in the modulation of defensive behaviors in mice exposed to the oEPM.