The PS1/APP double transgenic model has a particularly robust, reproducible phenotype which occurs very rapidly with first amyloid deposits and behavioral impairment detectable by 12 weeks of age. These factors combine to produce a model which is indisputably becoming the gold-standard for rapid screening and evaluation of new drug candidates for Alzheimer's disease. Importantly, the phenotype of PS1/APP is consistent with several important features of human Alzheimer's disease and includes, for example, markers of oxidative stress, reactive gliosis, inflammation, neurodegeneration, abnormal neuronal growth, reorganization of cholinergic terminals, and the presence of hyperphosphorylated tau, an intermediate in tangle formation.

Unlike many other models of cognitive impairment, PS1/APP has a selective "working memory" loss that is not accompanied by motor deficits. Several "working memory" paradigms have been specially validated for MindGenix, by leading experts. These behavioral paradigms are used to test drugs for Alzheimer's disease and other forms of cognitive impairment.