Background: Examining the impact of short-term stress on depressive-like behavior and motor activity in rats is a crucial aspect of behavioral and neuroscience research. Short-term stress can influence rats' depressive-like behavior and decrease their motor activity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of short-term stress on depressive-like behavior and the running index of male Wistar rats, as well as the relationship between the two variables. Materials and Methods: Examining the impact of short-term stress on depressive-like behavior and motor activity in rats is a crucial aspect of behavioral and neuroscience research. Short-term stress can influence rats' depressive-like behavior and decrease their motor activity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of short-term stress on depressive-like behavior and the running index of male Wistar rats, as well as the relationship between the two variables. Results: Short-term stress significantly increased the 24-hour running index (P=0.01). The depression-like behavior of rats after stress induction did not show any significant difference. There was no significant relationship between the amount of running and depressive-like behavior (P=0.13). Conclusion: Based on the present findings, short-term stress caused an increase in the activity of male Wistar rats, which was not related to depressive-like behavior. Manuscript profile