Effects of stress on memory process in a passive avoidance paradigm

Stress can cause changes in cognitive function, mainly depending on the characteristics of the stressors and the tasks used. We armed whether some stressors, acutely or repeatedly given to mice, can impact memory. Method: Chronic and acute stresses were given before, after the training or before the retention test in a one trial step-through test. Results: Chronic stress with cold water, crowding and "crowding + light", unexpectedly given to infant mice significantly impaired the memory acquisition, while acute "crowding + light" and novelty stress significantly impaired the memory retrieval depending the time re-tested, and had no effect on memory acquisition and consolidation. Conclusion: Chronic stress given during the developmental period impaired the memory acquisition in the adult animals, whereas the memory retrieval is more sensitive to acute "crowding + light" and novelty stress than acquisition and consolidation but in a time-dependent manner.