Source Paper
Computational modeling reveals cognitive processes in simple rodent depression tests
Li Z, Lu T, Yan J, Zhang X, Li YF
Cell Rep Methods • 2025
Tail Suspension Test
Objective: Assess depression-like behavior and behavioral despair in mice through immobility measurement
This is a Tail Suspension Test protocol using Mouse as the model organism. The procedure involves 4 procedural steps, 1 equipment items, 1 materials. Extracted from a 2025 paper published in Cell Rep Methods.
Model and subjects
Mouse • C57Bl/6 • Male • 8 weeks old at the start of experiments • Not specified
Study window
~6 minutes hands-on
Core workflow
Remove mice from cages • Secure tail with tape • Suspend mice by tail
Primary readouts
- Immobility time
- Behavioral trajectory
- Struggling vs immobilization patterns
Key equipment and reagents
Use this page as an execution guide, then fall back to the source paper whenever you need exact exclusions, dosing details, or assay-specific caveats.
Confirm first
- Verify the animal model, intervention setup, and collection timepoints against the source paper.
- Check that every direct vendor link matches the exact specification your lab plans to run.
Use the page like this
- Work through the protocol steps in order and use the inline vendor chips only when you need to source or verify an item.
- Jump to Experimental Context for readouts, data shape, and analysis flow before planning downstream analysis.
Protocol Steps
Start here. The step list is optimized for running the experiment, with direct vendor links available inline when you need to source a cited item.
Remove mice from cages
Gently remove mice from their home cages for testing
View evidence from paper
“mice were gently removed from their cages”
Secure tail with tape
Attach adhesive tape to the tail approximately 1 cm from the tip
View evidence from paper
“their tails were secured with adhesive tape approximately 1 cm from the tip”
Suspend mice by tail
Suspend mice by their tails at a height of about 30 cm from the ground in an inverted position
View evidence from paper
“mice were then suspended by their tails at a height of about 30 cm from the ground, placing them in an inverted position”
Record behavior for 6 minutes
Allow the test to run for 6 minutes while recording the mouse's behavior on video
View evidence from paper
“The test also lasted for 6 min, and video recordings were taken throughout”