Tail suspension test

Tail Suspension Test is a behavioral test used in neuroscience to evaluate antidepressant drugs and to measure the effectiveness of these drugs in mice. It is a widely accepted model for assessing depressive-like behavior and despair in experimental animals.

Overview

The Tail Suspension Test (TST) was first introduced by Steru et al. in 1985. The test is based on the observation that a mouse suspended by the tail shows periods of immobility, which are considered to be a measure of behavioral despair. The test is used to evaluate the efficacy of antidepressant drugs, and the reduction of immobility time is considered as an antidepressant-like effect.

Procedure

In the Tail Suspension Test, the mouse is suspended by the tail using adhesive tape attached to a lever arm of the strain gauge. The mouse is then left to hang for a certain period of time, usually six minutes. The immobility time, which is the time during which the mouse does not show any movement, is recorded. The reduction in immobility time after administration of an antidepressant drug is considered as a positive result.

Applications

The Tail Suspension Test is used in various areas of research, including:

• Pharmacology: To evaluate the efficacy of antidepressant drugs.
• Neuroscience: To study the mechanisms underlying depressive-like behavior.
• Psychiatry: To develop new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of depression.

Limitations

While the Tail Suspension Test is a widely used model for assessing depressive-like behavior, it has several limitations. These include the fact that it is a stress-inducing procedure, which can affect the results. In addition, the test does not fully mimic the complexity of human depression.

See Also

• Forced swim test
• Learned helplessness
• Animal models of depression