Effects of antidepressants and anticholinergics in a mouse "behavioral despair" test.

A new "behavioral despair" test previously asserted to be selectively sensitive to antidepressant treatments was examined for specificity. The results of the present study demonstrate that, in addition to antidepressants, agents with anticholinergic properties such as scopolamine, danitracin, benactyzine, benztropin, clozapine and cyproheptadine also reduce immobility in this test. These results indicate that the swim test in mice cannot be considered selectively sensitive to antidepressants.