Jan 06, 2026

Sucrose Preference Test 

DOI
https://dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.5jyl8x5xdv2w/v1
  • Roberta Marongiu1,
  • Sabina Marciano2
  • 1Weill Cornell Medical College;
  • 2weill cornell medicine
Jacquelyn Haytayan
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DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.5jyl8x5xdv2w/v1
Protocol Citation: Roberta Marongiu, Sabina Marciano 2026. Sucrose Preference Test . protocols.io https://dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.5jyl8x5xdv2w/v1
License: This is an open access  protocol  distributed under the terms of the  Creative Commons Attribution License,  which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited
Protocol status: Working
We use this protocol and it's working
Created: January 06, 2026
Last Modified: January 06, 2026
Protocol  Integer ID: 237152
Keywords: ASAPCRN, Behavioral Assay, Sucrose Preference , sucrose preference test, spt, core symptom of depression, core symptom, depression, test, motivational dysfunction, anhedonia
Funders Acknowledgements:
Aligning Science Across Parkinson's
Collaborative Research Network
Weill Cornell Medicine
Abstract
The sucrose preference test (SPT) is used to assess anhedonia, a core symptom of depression and motivational dysfunction, which are common non-motor symptoms of PD.
Before start
If you are using the Petco bottles be careful with leaks. We puff air out of the bottle to avoid liquid loss because of air dilation. For the same reason avoid temperature fluctuations in the room where you are performing the test.
Before Starting
Group-housed animals should first be habituated for 24 hours to consume fluids from tube bottles and to adjust to the 2% sucrose solution
Testing
The sucrose preference should be measured over 48 hours.
After habituation, group-housed mice should br individually caged, and present two bottles to them for 24 hours: one with tap water and one with a 2% sucrose solution.
Take initial weight of water or 2% sucrose solution bottles. Consumption of either solution is measured by weighing bottles every 24 hr for 48 hours total.
Weigh animals after last day of testing
Calculations
Calculate sucrose preference: Preference ml/g/day = [sucrose solution intake (ml)/ sucrose solution intake (ml)+water solution intake (mL)*100].