Tail Suspension Test for Evaluating Mice's Depression-Like Behaviors

As depression has become a serious global health issue, animal models are essential for understanding its underlying mechanisms and developing new treatments. The Tail Suspension Test (TST) is a widely used assay that induces a state of behavioral despair in rodents, which serves as a key indicator of depression-like behavior. In this study, mice first undergo a period of light deprivation to induce a depressive state. Subsequently, the TST is used to assess their behavior. The primary metric is immobility time—the duration for which a mouse ceases to struggle when suspended. It is hypothesized that mice subjected to light deprivation will exhibit significantly longer immobility times compared to control mice, reflecting a state of learned helplessness. This model is expected to be valuable for screening new antidepressant compounds and providing a theoretical basis for novel therapeutic strategies.