[Temporal dynamics of forced swimming in rats as an adequate criterion for assessing the specific effects of antidepressants].

Rats with different rhythmical structure of forced swimming had different susceptibility to antidepressant drugs. The drugs equally changed only the rhythmical index of depression but not other swimming parameters in sensible animals. As suggested, the assessment of swimming time-course can be used for antidepressant screening and preliminary selection of drug-resistant animals.