Forced swim test – This test is used both as a screening test for the effect of antidepressants to increase mobility, and as a learned helplessness measure of depressive like features. The animal is placed in a water-filled, transparent, round plexiglass tank. For the duration of the 6 minute test period, the time spent by the animal in activity (active swimming) versus immobility (passive floating) is tracked and recorded, as well as frequency and duration of activity/ inactivity bouts.
[This test is applicable to rats and mice]
Reference:
Lifschytz T, Shalom G, Lerer B, Newman ME. Sex-dependent effects of fluoxetine and triiodothyronine in the forced swim test in rats. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2006 Feb;16(2):115-21. doi: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2005.07.003
Sucrose preference test – This test models the depressive symptom of anhedonia (lack of pleasure). Non-preference for sweetened water is conceptualized as anhedonia. In the habituation phase, animals are group housed and receive fluids from two bottles, one containing water and the other 2% saccharin solution in water. In the 2 day test period, animals are individually housed and have a choice between two weighted bottles as above. After the test, the two bottles for each animal are weighed again and saccharin preference is calculated as percentage of saccharin consumed out total fluids consumed.
[This test is applicable to rats and mice]
Reference:
Wolf G, Lifschytz T, Ben-Ari H, Tatarskyy P, Merzel TK, Lotan A, Lerer B. Effect of chronic unpredictable stress on mice with developmental under-expression of the Ahi1 gene: behavioral manifestations and neurobiological correlates. Transl Psychiatry. 2018 Jul 2;8(1):124. doi: 10.1038/s41398-018-0171-1.
Novelty suppressed feeding test– This test models the depressive symptom of anhedonia (lack of pleasure). Long latency of a food deprived animal to eat a pellet of food is a measure of an anhedonic depression like phenotype. Animals are first food (but not water) deprived for 24 hours. Thereafter each is introduced into an open field arena in which a food pellet is situated in the center. The time elapsed from the animal’s introduction until eating commences (latency to eat) is tracked and recorded. Concomitantly, the distance moved by the animal is tracked. After testing home cage food consumption is monitored for 10 minutes.
[This test is applicable to rats and mice]
Reference:
Lifschytz T, Goltser-Dubner T, Landshut G, Lerer B. Effect of triiodothyronine on 5-HT1A and 5-HT1B receptor expression in rat forebrain and on latency to feed in the novelty suppressed feeding test. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2010 May 30;34(4):632-8. doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2010.02.029. Epub 2010 Mar 4.
Tail suspension test – This test is used both as a screening test for the activity of antidepressant to increase mobiity and as a learned helplessness measure of depressive like features. The animal is hung upside down by its tail tip (using adhesive tape) 50 cm from nearest surface ,and during a 6 minute test duration the time spent in active escape attempts is tracked and recorded (similarly to the forced swim test) versus time spent in inactivity. Also, frequency and duration of activity bouts are recorded.
[This test is applicable for mice only]
Reference:
Lifschytz T, Zozulinsky P, Eitan R, Landshut G, Ohayon S, Lerer B. Effect of triiodothyronine on antidepressant screening tests in mice and on presynaptic 5-HT1A receptors: mediation by thyroid hormone α receptors. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2011 May;337(2):494-502. doi: 10.1124/jpet.111.179564.