[The characteristics of the effect of different classes of pharmacological substances on forced swimming in rats].

The authors have proposed a modified method of forced swimming in a water tank with freely rotating wheels, which differentiates psychotropic of major groups--stimulants, antidepressants, tranquilizers and neuroleptics whose activities can be tested by specific techniques. The advantages of the method includes the absence of a subjective factor in assessing the results, the possibility of automatic multichannel recording and direct input of data into the computer, the lack of necessary preliminary preparation (pharmacological, surgical, behavioral) of animals.