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Updated: May 25, 2026

The Tail Suspension Test
10:17

The Tail Suspension Test

Published on: January 28, 2012

The tail suspension test.

Adem Can1, David T Dao, Chantelle E Terrillion

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, USA.

Journal of Visualized Experiments : Jove
|February 9, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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The tail-suspension test screens antidepressant drugs by measuring mouse escape behaviors. A novel method using a plastic cylinder prevents tail climbing, improving test reliability for depression research.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Pharmacology
  • Animal Behavior

Background:

  • The tail-suspension test is a standard method for evaluating antidepressant drug efficacy in mice.
  • Assessing depression-related behaviors is crucial for drug discovery and understanding neurological conditions.
  • Existing protocols face challenges, such as tail climbing, which can invalidate results in certain mouse strains.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide detailed implementation guidelines for the tail-suspension test.
  • To address and offer solutions for common problems encountered during the test, particularly tail climbing.
  • To enhance the reliability and applicability of the tail-suspension test in high-throughput screening for antidepressant compounds.

Main Methods:

  • Mice are suspended by their tails for a six-minute duration to quantify escape-oriented behaviors.

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 25, 2026

The Tail Suspension Test
10:17

The Tail Suspension Test

Published on: January 28, 2012

An Alternant Method to the Traditional NASA Hindlimb Unloading Model in Mice
09:50

An Alternant Method to the Traditional NASA Hindlimb Unloading Model in Mice

Published on: March 10, 2011

Behavioral Characterization of an Angelman Syndrome Mouse Model
11:05

Behavioral Characterization of an Angelman Syndrome Mouse Model

Published on: October 20, 2023

  • A modified procedure involves passing mouse tails through a small plastic cylinder before suspension to prevent climbing.
  • Manual scoring methods for observed behaviors are detailed.

    • Main Results:

    • The plastic cylinder modification effectively prevents tail climbing behavior in susceptible mouse strains, such as C57BL/6.
    • This modification ensures the integrity of the test, allowing for accurate quantification of immobility and escape behaviors.
    • The study provides a reproducible protocol for implementing and scoring the tail-suspension test.

    Conclusions:

    • The tail-suspension test is a valuable tool for high-throughput screening of antidepressant candidates.
    • Preventing tail climbing through the described method significantly improves the test's utility and reliability.
    • This refined protocol facilitates more accurate assessment of depression-related behaviors in preclinical drug development.