Overview

• In tests of 465 young adults, higher depressive symptom severity predicted slower acquisition of actions that prevent unpleasant sounds.
• Once participants learned the response, those with higher symptom levels performed on par with others during active avoidance.
• Researchers adapted a rodent active-avoidance paradigm using sound cues and on-screen signals that required either an action or withholding a response.
• The peer-reviewed findings were published in eNeuro in 2025, highlighting a translational link between preclinical models and human behavior.
• Authors note open questions about how symptoms influence continued learning after proficiency and behavior in more complex avoidance situations.