The effect of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on recognition memory decision processes and discrimination in postmenopausal women.
In this article, the theoretical distinction between recognition memory decision and discrimination processes is used to explore the effect of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in postmenopausal women. DHEA is an adrenal steroid that diminishes with aging. It has enhanced memory in laboratory animals. An 8-week placebo-controlled, double-blind experiment in which 30 women (ages 39-70) received a 50-mg/day oral dose of DHEA for 4 weeks demonstrated that DHEA made subjects more conservative (i.e., less likely to call test items "old") in their recognition memory decisions and enhanced recognition memory discrimination for items presented briefly. The former result may reflect an empirical regularity (Hirshman, 1995) in which recent strong memory experiences make participants more conservative. The latter result may reflect the effect of DHEA on visual perception, with consequent effects on memory. These results suggest the methodological importance of focusing on decision processes when examining the effects of hormones on memory.
Department of Psychology, George Washington University, Washington, D.C. 20052, USA. ellioth@gwu.edu
Elliot
E
Hirshman
Ellen
E
Wells
Margaret E
ME
Wierman
Benjamin
B
Anderson
Andrew
A
Butler
Meredith
M
Senholzi
Julia
J
Fisher
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects; D000368:Aged; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003657:Decision Making / Q000187:drug effects; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000187:drug effects; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000187:drug effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000187:drug effects*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D011932:Reading; D012153:Retention, Psychology / Q000187:drug effects*; D017603:Signal Detection, Psychological; D014706:Verbal Learning / Q000187:drug effects*