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The Forced Swimming Test in Mice: A Suitable Model to Study Antidepressants

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Mood and Anxiety Related Phenotypes in Mice

Part of the book series: Neuromethods ((NM,volume 42))

Abstract

Among all animal models, the forced swimming test (FST) remains one of the mostly used tools for screening antidepressants with different mechanisms of action. This chapter reviews the main aspects of the FST in mice. Most of the sensitivity and variability factors that were assessed on the FST are summarized, as well as the most relevant data found in the literature of antidepressant effects on the FST in mice. From this data set, we have extrapolated some information about baseline levels of strain, and sensitivity against antidepressants. We have shown that many parameters have to be considered in this test to gain good reliability. Moreover, there was a fundamental inter-strain difference of response in the FST. The FST is a good screening tool with good reliability and predictive validity. Strain is one of the most important parameters to consider, for example Swiss and NMRI mice can be used to discriminate the mechanism of action of antidepressants; the CD-1 strain seems to be the most useful strain for screening purposes, but all results need to be arbitrated with spontaneous locomotor activity studies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculté de Médecine, Neurobiologie de l’Anxiété et de la Dépression, Nantes, France

    Martine Hascoët & Michel Bourin

Authors
  1. Martine Hascoët
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  2. Michel Bourin
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Medicine, University of Maryland, W. Baltimore Street 685, Baltimore, 21201, U.S.A.

    Todd D. Gould

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© 2009 Humana Press, a part of Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

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Hascoët, M., Bourin, M. (2009). The Forced Swimming Test in Mice: A Suitable Model to Study Antidepressants. In: Gould, T. (eds) Mood and Anxiety Related Phenotypes in Mice. Neuromethods, vol 42. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60761-303-9_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60761-303-9_6

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-60761-302-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-60761-303-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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