swimming test

synonyms: behavioral despair test, forced swimming test, Porsolt forced swimming test
https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.12106
Procedure in which a test animal (rodent) is forced to swim to avoid drowning.
Notes:
  1. Most often used to test antidepressants, which increase the time the animal spends in escape-directed swimming behavior.
  2. Interpretation is controversial, as cessation of swimming could be a learned response to hasten removal by the investigator.
Compare: tail suspension test
Source:
PAC, 2015, 87, 841. (IUPAC Glossary of terms used in neurotoxicology (IUPAC Recommendations 2015)) on page 908 [Terms] [Paper]
Citation: 'swimming test' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.12106 RIS BibTex EndNote
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