N-terminal and C-terminal fragments of substance P (SP) have been shown to exert opposite effects on antinociception, grooming and fighting in mice. The present experiments explored whether these findings could be generalized to passive avoidance behavior. Substance P (SP-(1-11] and the C-terminal fragment pyroglutamyl-SP-(7-11) attenuated passive avoidance behavior when picogram amounts were injected into the nucleus accumbens. In contrast, the N-terminal fragment SP-(1-7) had an opposite effect and facilitated passive avoidance behavior.