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Updated: Jun 14, 2026
A Chronic Immobilization Stress Protocol for Inducing Depression-Like Behavior in Mice
Published on: May 15, 2019
Preventive effect of estrogen on depression-like behavior induced by chronic restraint stress
Wei Li1, Qing-Jiao Li, Shu-Cheng An
1Institute of Brain and Behavior Science, College of Life Science, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China.
Objective:
To investigate the roles of estrogen and kalirin-7 in chronic restraint stress (CRS)-induced depression and the pathophysiological mechanism of depression.
Methods:
Healthy female mice from Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) were randomly divided into 3 groups: control group, CRS group, and estrogen + CRS group. CRS was used to establish the animal model of depression. Forced swimming test and immunohistochemistry method were utilized to investigate the animal behavior and kalirin-7 expression in the hippocampus, respectively.
Results:
Compared with the control group, the CRS mice displayed depression-like behaviors, including a significant reduction in body weight, a significant increase in immobility time in forced swimming test, and a dramatic decrease in kalirin-7 expression in the hippocampus. However, administration of estrogen attenuated the CRS-induced negative behaviors, and simultaneously increased kalirin-7 expression.
Conclusion:
Estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) could prevent CRS-induced depression-like behaviors in female ICR mice. Besides, kalirin-7 also plays a role in preventing CRS-induced depression-like behaviors.
