Abstract:Objective A hand-made mouse restraint device was designed to establish an immobilization stress model for related stress experiments. Methods A centrifuge tube with a size suitable for the mouse body was used to prepare a mouse restraint device. The mouse restraint device was applied to maternal mice for 3 hours every day for 21 days starting 2 days after delivery to stimulate repeated immobilization stress. The maternal mice were separated from their offspring after delivery. Results In this postpartum mouse immobilization stress model, ghrelin expression was increased in the stomach, hypothalamus and serum, 5-HT2 receptor expression was decreased, and depression-like symptoms, such as decreased exercise and offspring growth retardation, were observed. Conclusions A new device is constructed to establish an immobilization stress model in postpartum mice. Results from repeated experiments show good stability and reproducibility, suggesting that this model can be used to study immobilization stress in mice.