Acute cortisol effects on immediate free recall and recognition of nouns depend on stimulus valence.
The present study investigated the acute effects of cortisol administration in normal healthy male volunteers on immediate free recall and recognition of pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral nouns using a between-subjects double-blind design. Two hours after cortisol (10 mg) or placebo administration, impaired recall and recognition of neutral and pleasant words was found in the treatment group, whereas recall and recognition of unpleasant words was similar in both groups. The interaction between treatment and stimulus valence was not mediated by "semantic cohesion," nor does it seem to have been mediated by stimulus arousal. Cortisol did not change mood. The changes with cortisol in recall and recognition of pleasant and unpleasant words parallel those found in depression, a condition that is often accompanied by elevated basal cortisol levels.
Tops
Mattie
M
Department of Experimental and Work Psychology, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. m.tops@ppsw.rug.nl
van der Pompe
Gieta
G
Baas
Daan
D
Mulder
Lambertus J M
LJ
Den Boer
Johan A
JA
Meijman
Theo F
TF
Korf
Jacob
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000187:drug effects*; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism
D006854:Hydrocortisone