Effects of post-training modafinil administration in a discriminative avoidance task in mice
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Published on: July 29, 2025
Helaine Arrais Fernandes1, Karina Agustini Zanin1, Camilla de Lima Patti1
11Department of Pharmacology,Federal University of São Paulo,SP,Brazil.
Objective:
Although the cognitive-enhancing abilities after modafinil have been demonstrated, its effects on memory consolidation remain overlooked. We investigated the effects of repeated modafinil administration on consolidation of a discriminative avoidance task.
Methods:
Mice were trained in the plus-maze discriminative avoidance task. After training, mice received intraperitonial modafinil (doses of 32, 64 or 128 mg/kg). Animals were treated for more 9 consecutive days; 30 min after the last injection, testing was performed. In addition, the effects of 32 mg/kg modafinil on consolidation at different time points were examined.
Results:
The smaller dose of modafinil (32 mg/kg) impaired memory consolidation, without modifying anxiety or locomotion. Still, modafinil post-training administration at 1 or 2 h impaired memory persistence.
Conclusions:
Modafinil impaired memory consolidation in a dose- and time-dependent fashion.

