The Tail Suspension Test

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

doi:10.3791/3769

JoVE Journal
Neuroscience
Author Produced

A subscription to JoVE is required to view this content. Sign in or start your free trial.

JoVE Journal Neuroscience

The Tail Suspension Test

Full Text

83,528 Views

10:17 min

January 28, 2012

DOI: 10.3791/3769-v

Adem Can*¹, David T. Dao*^1,2, Chantelle E. Terrillion³, Sean C. Piantadosi¹, Shambhu Bhat¹, Todd D. Gould^1,3,4

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

The tail-suspension test is validated as an experimental procedure to assess antidepressant efficacy of drug treatments in mice. Mice are suspended by their tails for six minutes and escape-related behaviors are assessed. We describe procedures used in conducting the tail suspension test.

The tail suspension test is a common behavioral test used to predict antidepressant efficacy of various experimental manipulations. This movie demonstrates the procedures of this test. The tail suspension test is validated for the mouse and is not recommended for larger rodents.

In the tail suspension test mice are suspended by their tails. The mouse remains suspended for six minutes. The subject's behaviors are recorded during this time.

View the full transcript and gain access to thousands of scientific videos