Source Paper
Age-related changes in behavior in C57BL/6J mice from young adulthood to middle age
Hirotaka Shoji, Keizo Takao, Satoko Hattori, Tsuyoshi Miyakawa
Molecular Brain • 2016
Porsolt Forced Swim Test
Objective: Assessment of depression-like behavior through immobility in forced swimming
This is a Porsolt Forced Swim Test protocol using mouse as the model organism. The procedure involves 4 procedural steps, 2 equipment items, 2 materials. Extracted from a 2016 paper published in Molecular Brain.
Model and subjects
mouse • C57BL/6J • male • Not specified • Not specified • 1739
Study window
~1 day study window
Core workflow
Animal housing and maintenance • Behavioral test battery sequence • Porsolt forced swim test
Primary readouts
- Immobility duration during forced swim test
- Depression-like behavior assessment
Key equipment and reagents
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Protocol Steps
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Animal housing and maintenance
Mice were housed in plastic cages with sterilized PaperClean Bedding under a 12-hour light/dark cycle with lights on at 7:00 am. Food (CRF-1) and water were provided ad libitum.
Note: Housing density varied: 1.3% housed with 1 animal per cage, 2.3% with 2, 6.7% with 3, 80.1% with 4, 8.9% with 5, and 0.7% with 6 animals per cage at the beginning of test battery.
View evidence from paper
“housed in plastic cages with sterilized PaperClean Bedding (Japan SLC) under a 12-hr light/dark cycle (lights on at 7:00 am) with access to food (CRF-1, Oriental Yeast Co., Ltd.) and water ad libitum”
Behavioral test battery sequence
Mice were tested in the following order: general health and neurological screening, light/dark transition, open field, elevated plus maze, hot plate, social interaction, rotarod, startle response/prepulse inhibition, Porsolt forced swim, Barnes maze, contextual and cued fear conditioning, and tail suspension tests.
Note: More than 75% of mice were subjected to tests in accordance with the standard order. For remaining mice, several tests were performed while changing the order and/or were omitted.
View evidence from paper
“The mice were generally tested in the following order; general health and neurological screening, light/dark transition, open field, elevated plus maze, hot plate, social interaction, rotarod, startle response/prepulse inhibition, Porsolt forced swim, Barnes maze, contextual and cued fear conditioning, and tail suspension tests. The interval between tests was at least 1 day.”
Porsolt forced swim test
Mice were subjected to the Porsolt forced swim test as part of the behavioral test battery to assess depression-like behavior through measurement of immobility.
Note: Test was performed between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
View evidence from paper
“Behavioral testing was performed between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Of the mice, 1.3, 2.3, 6.7, 80.1, 8.9, and 0.7 % were housed with 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 animals per cage, respectively, at the beginning of the test battery. The mice were generally tested in the following order; general health and neurological screening, light/dark transition, open field, elevated plus maze, hot plate, social interaction, rotarod, startle response/prepulse inhibition, Porsolt forced swim, Barnes maze, contextual and cued fear conditioning, and tail suspension tests.”
Apparatus cleaning and sanitation
After each test, all apparatus were cleaned with super hypochlorous water and 70% ethanol to prevent bias due to olfactory cues.
Note: Cleaning was performed between tests to eliminate olfactory cues that could bias results.
View evidence from paper
“After the tests, all apparatus were cleaned with super hypochlorous water and 70% ethanol to prevent a bias due to olfactory cues.”