The Mouse Forced Swim Test

Adem Can; David T. Dao; Michal Arad; Chantelle E. Terrillion; Sean C. Piantadosi; Todd D. Gould

doi:10.3791/3638

JoVE Journal
Neuroscience
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JoVE Journal Neuroscience

The Mouse Forced Swim Test

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06:19 min

January 29, 2012

DOI: 10.3791/3638-v

Adem Can¹, David T. Dao², Michal Arad¹, Chantelle E. Terrillion³, Sean C. Piantadosi¹, Todd D. Gould^1,3,4

¹Department of Psychiatry,University of Maryland School of Medicine, ²Tulane University School of Medicine, ³Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics,University of Maryland School of Medicine, ⁴The Program in Neuroscience,University of Maryland

The forced swim test is validated as an experimental approach to assess potential antidepressant efficacy in rodents. Experimental animals are placed in a tank of water and escape-related mobility behavior is quantified. The common procedures for the mouse version of this test are described.

The mouse forced swim test is a common test used to predict antidepressant efficacy. This movie demonstrates the procedures of the mouse version of the forced swim test. The mouse version is different from the wrap version and should not be used interchangeably.

In the forced swim test, mice are placed in a tank filled with water. The mouse remains in the tank for six minutes. The subject's behaviors are recorded during this time.

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