Depression Mouse Models

The Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress (CUMS) model is widely used to induce depression-like behaviors in rodents. This paradigm involves exposing animals to a series of varied, unpredictable stressors over several weeks to simulate chronic, low-intensity stress. The CUMS model effectively mimics key symptoms of human depression, including anhedonia (sucrose preference test), helplessness (forced swim test, tail suspension test), and reduced locomotor activity.

50+
Mouse Models Related to Neurological Diseases
500+
Studies Completed
10+
ND-Enabling Studies

Advantages

Our Advantages

Industry-leading capabilities for depression research

Validated CUMS Paradigm

Our CUMS protocol applies a randomized series of mild stressors over several weeks, effectively mimicking key symptoms of human depression — anhedonia, helplessness.

Multi-Behavioral Assessment Suite

We offer a comprehensive behavioral test battery including sucrose preference, forced swim, tail suspension, and open field tests to robustly characterize antidepressant efficacy.

Translational Relevance

The CUMS model recapitulates core endophenotypes of depression that are responsive to clinically effective antidepressants, making it a gold-standard tool for CNS drug discovery.

Model Library

Case Studies

Case Studies & Validation Data

CUMS Depression-Like Behavior Study

Mice Exhibit Depressive-Like Behavior After CUMS Exposure

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Mice Exhibit Depressive-Like Behavior After CUMS Exposure

Three behavioral assessments comparing control (Ctrl ♀) and CUMS (CUMS ♀) female mice: Panel A: Sucrose preference test: CUMS mice showed significantly lower sucrose preference (anhedonia). Panel B: Forced swim test: CUMS mice showed significantly increased immobility time (helplessness). Panel C: Tail suspension test: CUMS mice showed significantly increased immobility time (helplessness).

n=10-14 mice/group, all data represented as MEAN ± SEM, *P<0.05, **P<0.01, ***P<0.001, ****P<0.0001, T-test.

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