Impairment of passive avoidance performance in SART-stressed mice and the action of drugs.

In order to investigate the behavioral characteristics of the SART-stressed (repeated cold-stressed) animal, a model of dysautonomia, step-down passive avoidance performance was examined in SART-stressed mice. SART-stressed mice exhibited a shortened test trial latency and a decreased incidence of maximum latency of 300 sec, but no change in the training latency. These alterations were blocked by single administration of chlorpromazine or carpipramine prior to the training trial. Repeated, but not single treatments with neurotropin and hopantenate improved the impaired performance due to SART stress. On the other hand, alprazolam and diazepam were ineffective by either mode of administration. Thus, SART-stressed mice appear to have impairment in the process of acquisition of a passive avoidance task.