Passive avoidance is fear-motivated tests classically used to assess short-term or long-term memory on small laboratory animals (rat, mice).

Basically, passive avoidance working protocols involve timing of transitions, i.e. time that the animal takes to move from the white compartment to the black one after a conditioning session -in which the entry into the black compartment is punished with a mild inescapable electrical shock is carried out.

Our passive avoidance box (LE870/872) is defined by a large white illuminated compartment and a small black dark compartment separated by a guillotine gate. The animal's position is detected by using high sensitivity weight transducers providing higher effective and reliable detection of animal responses (zones entries) than systems based on photocells beams or on grid floor displacements.

Panlab/Harvard Apparatus Passive Avoidance boxes may be controlled either through LE2708 Programmer or ShutAvoid software. The first option is recommended for one single box set-ups, and may be combined with the included SeDaCom software. SeDaCom enables data transfer from the programmer to a PC through a RS-232 port. The connection is direct between programmer to a PC. No PCI card is needed! The link is carried out by one only cable from one Box to the other. The first Box is connected to PC or Laptop by the port RS-232 or USB. The second option is suitable for controlling a number of boxes simultaneously.

Citations
Garcia-Calatayud S et al. (2005) Brain Docosahexaenoic Acid Status and Learning in Young Rats Submitted to Dietary Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Deficiency and Supplementation Limited to Lactation Pediatric Research 57:719-723 (rat, Spain)
Trabace L et al. (2000) Biochemical and Neurobehavioral Profile of CHF2819, a Novel, Orally Active Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitor for Alzheimer's Disease JPET 294 (1): 187-194 (rat, Italy)
Barrionuevo M et al. (2000) Serotoninergic deficits and impaired passive-avoidance learning in rats by MDEA: a comparison with MDMA. Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 65(2): 233-240. (rat, Spain)
Artaiz I et al. (1995) The pharmacology of VA21B7: an atypical 5-HT3 receptor antagonist with anxiolytic-like properties in animal models. Psychopharmacol. 117(2): 137-148. (mouse, Spain)
Faiman CP et al. (1994) Differential effects of compounds that act at strychnine-insensitive glycine receptors in a punishment procedure. J. Pharmacol. Exp.Ther. 270(2): 528-533. (mouse, Spain)