Depression is a common mental disease with high prevalence, high disability rate, and high recurrence rate, and its pathogenesis is complex. Laboratory animals (rats and mice) are the most commonly used vehicles for studying depression. Because the depression of animals is difficult to express in words, behavioral experiment is the main evaluation method.
The current methods for detecting depressive behavior in rats and mice are designed based on lack of interest, depressed mood, hopelessness and sense of worthlessness, including sugar water preference, novel environment feeding inhibition, forced swimming, tail suspension, and acquired helplessness. Wait for the experiment. On the basis of investigating and sorting out the experimental methods of depressive behavior in rats and mice at home and abroad, the detection principle, experimental mode, test time and index evaluation system were analyzed and summarized, and the experimental specifications that could be operated were summarized. It is helpful to select appropriate behavioral detection methods and animal models according to the research purpose, which is of great significance for the in-depth study of depression.