Passive Avoidance Learning Test
Time Delay (natural forgetting)

Newsletter # 80

Animal models


The Passive Avoidance test is a fear-aggravated test used to evaluate memory in rodent models of CNS disorders.

■ In this test, subjects learn to avoid a preferred environment (dark chamber) in which an aversive stimulus (a foot-shock) was previously delivered.

■ In the rat, NEUROFIT found that the retention and retrieval of this acquired avoidance spontaneously disappears after 1 week. Hence, this natural forgetting behavior is exploited to evaluate and demonstrate the memory enhancing effect of test compounds.
  • Passive avoidance test: step through latency

    ■ Both Donepezil and Memantine - Alzheimer disease medication regimen are found to improve the memory retention 1-week after learning.
    ■ Retention after 24h indicates an unaltered memory performance as opposed to Retention after 7 days which reflects time-based memory decay.



  • Memory performance is positively correlated with the latency to leave the bridge and avoid the adverse stimulus, thus the better the recollection, the greater the "step through latency".


NEUROFIT processes different varieties of this passive avoidance paradigm to respond to preclinical needs:

Amyloid-beta-induced passive avoidance impairment to mimic the key neuropathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease and to evaluate novel therapy,
Scopolamine-induced passive avoidance impairment to evaluate procognitive effect of chemical entities


NEUROFIT offers a range of validated in vitro and in vivo screening tests for psychiatry and neurology.

If you need further information, please do not hesitate to contact us, we will reply within few days. Custom protocol

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