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Parenting, Cortisol, and Risky Behaviors in Emerging Adulthood: Diverging Patterns for Males and Females. ADAPTIVE HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND PHYSIOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s40750-021-00164-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Nitschke JP, Giorgio LM, Zaborowska O, Sheldon S. Acute psychosocial stress during retrieval impairs pattern separation processes on an episodic memory task. Stress 2020; 23:437-443. [PMID: 32008411 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2020.1724946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous studies have shown that the presence of psychosocial stress impairs the ability to retrieve episodic memories, which raise questions about the specific cognitive processes that underlie this impairment. Here, we tested the hypothesis that stress targets retrieval processes needed to reliability discriminate previously learned from new information within episodic memory, pattern separation processing by measuring the effects of retrieval-induced stress on a modified version of the Mnemonic Similarity Task. In a two-part between-subjects design, all participants studied a series of object images in an initial testing session. In a second session, held 24 h later, half of the participants completed a stress induction task (stress group) and half performed a similarly structured but non-stressful task (control group) and all were then given a recognition memory test for the previously studied images which included new images similar to those studied (lures), and images that were completely novel (foils). Both groups performed equally well in terms of overall recognition memory, but the stress group was significantly impaired in discriminating new and similar (lure) items from studied items. This pattern of results suggests that stress specifically targets pattern separation processing when retrieving information from episodic memory. We discuss the implications of this effect, specifically how stress at retrieval reduces the ability to discriminate new from learned information.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lisa-Marie Giorgio
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Education and Counselling Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Oliwia Zaborowska
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Signy Sheldon
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
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Stress-Induced Increase in Cortisol Negatively Affects the Consolidation of Contextual Elements of Episodic Memories. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10060358. [PMID: 32526848 PMCID: PMC7349384 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10060358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress can modulate episodic memory in various ways. The present study asks how post-encoding stress affects visual context memory. Participants encoded object images centrally positioned on background scenes. After encoding, they were either exposed to cold pressure stress (CPS) or a warm water control procedure. Forty-right hours later, participants were cued with object images, and for each image, they were asked to select the background scene with which it was paired during study among three highly similar options. Only male but not female participants reacted with a significant increase in salivary cortisol to CPS, and the stress and control group did not differ in recognition performance. Comparing recognition performance between stress responders and non-responders, however, revealed a significant impairment in context memory in responders. Additionally, proportional increase in cortisol was negatively correlated with the number of correctly recognized scenes in responders. Due to the small number of responders, these findings need to be interpreted with caution but provide preliminary evidence that stress-induced cortisol increase negatively affects the consolidation of contextual elements of episodic memories.
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Abstract
Laboratory experiments revealed the stress hormone cortisol to decrease memory retrieval of emotional material, but a translation to real-life settings is missing so far. In this study, 51 students encoded a list of neutral, positive, and negative words as well as two neutral, biographical notes one day before attendance at a seminar at the university. In the stress condition, students gave a graded oral presentation, whereas they just attended the same seminar in the control condition immediately before retrieval took place. Measures of state anxiety, salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase confirmed the oral presentation to constitute a potent stressor. Importantly, stress significantly impaired retrieval of negative words, but not retrieval of the biographical notes. These results indicate that a real-life stressor decreases memory retrieval for negative items. In contrast, delayed memory retrieval of neutral information and interrelated details of biographical notes seems to be less prone to stress effects. These results have critical implications for educational settings.
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Cuttler C, Spradlin A, Nusbaum AT, Whitney P, Hinson JM, McLaughlin RJ. Joint effects of stress and chronic cannabis use on prospective memory. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2019; 236:1973-1983. [PMID: 30762090 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-019-5184-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Accepted: 01/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Prospective memory pervades our daily lives and failures can have detrimental consequences. This ability to execute delayed intentions may be impacted by stress, yet few studies have examined these effects. Moreover, as many cannabis users report using cannabis to cope with stress, it is important to understand how stress impacts memory in cannabis users. OBJECTIVES We assessed the effects of acute and chronic stress on prospective memory to examine whether stress differentially impacts prospective memory in cannabis users vs. non-users. METHODS Forty cannabis users and 42 non-users were assigned an episodic and a habitual prospective memory test before completing either the stress or no stress condition of the Maastricht Acute Stress Test (MAST). Participants were instructed to execute the habitual test during the MAST and the episodic test shortly after the MAST. Chronic stress was measured using the Perceived Stress Scale, and acute stress was measured using subjective ratings and cortisol. RESULTS There was a main effect of acute stress indicating that stress detrimentally impacted habitual prospective memory performance. Although there was not a significant stress x cannabis interaction, further planned comparisons indicated the habitual prospective memory impairment was selective to cannabis users. There were also significant negative correlations between (i) episodic prospective memory and both subjective stress as well as chronic stress, and (ii) habitual prospective memory and change in subjective stress. CONCLUSIONS This study is the first to reveal detrimental effects of acute stress on prospective memory performance, which may be exacerbated in cannabis users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carrie Cuttler
- Department of Psychology, Washington State University, PO Box 644820, Pullman, WA, 99164-4820, USA. .,Translational Addiction Research Center, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA.
| | - Alexander Spradlin
- Department of Psychology, Washington State University, PO Box 644820, Pullman, WA, 99164-4820, USA
| | - Amy T Nusbaum
- Department of Psychology, Washington State University, PO Box 644820, Pullman, WA, 99164-4820, USA
| | - Paul Whitney
- Department of Psychology, Washington State University, PO Box 644820, Pullman, WA, 99164-4820, USA
| | - John M Hinson
- Department of Psychology, Washington State University, PO Box 644820, Pullman, WA, 99164-4820, USA
| | - Ryan J McLaughlin
- Department of Psychology, Washington State University, PO Box 644820, Pullman, WA, 99164-4820, USA.,Translational Addiction Research Center, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA.,Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164-7620, USA
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Ackermann S, Cordi M, La Marca R, Seifritz E, Rasch B. Psychosocial Stress Before a Nap Increases Sleep Latency and Decreases Early Slow-Wave Activity. Front Psychol 2019; 10:20. [PMID: 30740070 PMCID: PMC6355712 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2018] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Sleep disturbances are an important risk factor for stress-related diseases such as burnout or depression. In particular, slow-wave activity (SWA) during sleep might be eminently relevant for optimal maintenance of mental health and cognitive functioning. In spite of the clinical importance and the pertinence of stress-related processes in everyday life, the physiological mechanisms of the association between stress, sleep, and cognition are not well-understood. In the present study, we carefully mapped the time course of the influence of a psychosocial stressor on sleep architecture and sleep-related oscillations during a midday nap. We induced stress using a psychosocial laboratory stressor, the Montreal Imaging Stress Task, vs. a neutral control task. Afterward, participants were allowed to take a 90-min nap (n = 20) or stayed awake (n = 19) and cortisol was measured via saliva samples. We hypothesized that stress would decrease sleep efficiency and SWA in a time-dependent manner, with impairing effects on cognitive functioning. Psychosocial stress resulted in increased cortisol levels, which were elevated throughout the study interval. In the nap group, psychosocial stress increased sleep latency, but had only minor effects on sleep architecture. Still, SWA in the first 30 min of sleep was significantly reduced, whereas alpha activity was enhanced. These effects vanished after approximately 30 min. No impairing effect on cognitive functioning occurred. Our results show that psychosocial stress before sleep has an impact on sleep latency and early SWA during sleep. In contrast to our hypothesis, the effects were rather small and short-lasting. Importantly, cognitive functioning was maintained. We conclude that the effects of psychosocial stress before a nap are possibly better compensated than previously believed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Ackermann
- Division of Cognitive Biopsychology and Methods, Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Maren Cordi
- Division of Cognitive Biopsychology and Methods, Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.,Sleep & Health Zürich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Roberto La Marca
- Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Erich Seifritz
- Sleep & Health Zürich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Björn Rasch
- Division of Cognitive Biopsychology and Methods, Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.,Sleep & Health Zürich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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