4.7 Tail suspension

VMAT2 mice were administered vehicle, 20 mg/kg fluoxetine, or 0.5 or 1 mg/kg lisuride and tested 30 min later (see Fukui et al., 2007). When mice were given 0.5 mg/kg LSD, they were tested 2 h later since LSD significantly increases motor activity that lasts <2 h (Rodriguiz et al., 2021) that could confound this test. When reserpine was used, mice were administered a 1 mg/kg dose and 3.5 h later were given vehicle or 0.5 mg/kg lisuride and tested 30 min and 1, 3, or 5 days later. Mice were suspended by the tail for 6 min using medical tape attached to a Med Associates (St. Albans, VT) tail suspension hook connected to a load cell. The signal from the load cell processed with Med-Associates Tail Suspension Software that determined immobility times over the test session. All load cells were calibrated prior to testing each day according to the manufacturer’s instructions.