Tail suspension test

The tail suspension test (TST) is an experimental method used in scientific research to measure stress in rodents.

However this test only recently became popular in the 2000s where data has shown that animals do show a change in behavior when injected with antidepressants.

[1] Depression is a complex multi-faceted disorder with symptoms that can have multiple causes such as psychological, behavioral, and genetics.

If a rodent is subjected to the short term inescapable stress of being suspended in the air it will develop an immobile posture.

Specifically, if antidepressant agents are administered before the test, the animal will struggle for a longer period of time than if not and exhibit more escape behaviors.

[6] This is largely because the test measures behavioral response to a short-term stressor, whereas human depression is a long-term condition.

[1] The FST is not as reliable as the TST because the immobility in the animal could be due to the shock of being dropped in water.