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Chronic stress and emotion: Differential effects on attentional processing and recognition memory

  • Previous research indicates that acute stress around the time of learning facilitates attention and memory for emotionally salient information. Despite accumulating evidence for these acute stress effects, less is known about the role of chronic stress. In the present study, we therefore tested emotional and neutral scene processing and later recognition memory in female participants using hair cortisol concentrations as a biological marker for chronic stress. Event-related potentials recorded during picture viewing indicated enhanced late positive potentials (LPPs) for emotional, relative to neutral contents. These brain potentials varied as a function of long-term hair cortisol levels: hair-cortisol levels were positively related to overall LPP amplitudes. Results from recognition memory testing one week after encoding revealed better memory for emotional relative to neutral scenes. Hair-cortisol levels, however, were related to poorer memory accuracy. Taken together, our results indicate that chronic stress enhanced attentionalPrevious research indicates that acute stress around the time of learning facilitates attention and memory for emotionally salient information. Despite accumulating evidence for these acute stress effects, less is known about the role of chronic stress. In the present study, we therefore tested emotional and neutral scene processing and later recognition memory in female participants using hair cortisol concentrations as a biological marker for chronic stress. Event-related potentials recorded during picture viewing indicated enhanced late positive potentials (LPPs) for emotional, relative to neutral contents. These brain potentials varied as a function of long-term hair cortisol levels: hair-cortisol levels were positively related to overall LPP amplitudes. Results from recognition memory testing one week after encoding revealed better memory for emotional relative to neutral scenes. Hair-cortisol levels, however, were related to poorer memory accuracy. Taken together, our results indicate that chronic stress enhanced attentional processing during encoding of new stimuli and impaired later recognition memory. Results are discussed with regard to putatively opposite effects of chronic stress on certain brain regions (e.g., amygdala and hippocampus).show moreshow less

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Metadaten
Author details:Janine WirknerORCiD, Carlos Ventura-BortORCiDGND, Lars SchwabeORCiDGND, Alfons O. HammORCiDGND, Mathias WeymarORCiDGND
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.05.008
ISSN:0306-4530
Pubmed ID:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31121343
Title of parent work (English):Psychoneuroendocrinology
Publisher:Elsevier
Place of publishing:Oxford
Publication type:Article
Language:English
Year of first publication:2019
Publication year:2019
Release date:2020/11/17
Tag:Chronic stress; Emotion; Event-related potential; Hair cortisol; Late positive potential; Memory
Volume:107
Number of pages:5
First page:93
Last Page:97
Funding institution:German Research Foundation (DFG)German Research Foundation (DFG) [WE 4801/3-1]
Organizational units:Humanwissenschaftliche Fakultät / Strukturbereich Kognitionswissenschaften / Department Psychologie
DDC classification:1 Philosophie und Psychologie / 15 Psychologie / 150 Psychologie
Peer review:Referiert
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