Animal model of depression.
A behavioural procedure is described which may provide an animal model for some aspects of human depression. Rats or mice when forced to swim in a restricted space will rapidly cease attempts to escape and become immobile. Immobility is reduced by many clinically effective antidepressant treatments suggesting that the immobile behaviour may reflect a state of lowered mood in the animal. If so the method could be useful as a simple experimental tool for research into the biology and therapeutics of depression.
D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000494:pharmacology; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D007103:Immobilization / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D051381:Rats; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000628:therapy; D013550:Swimming
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic