Glucose modulates event-related potential components of recollection and familiarity in healthy adolescents.
BACKGROUND
Behavioural evidence supports the notion that oral glucose ingestion enhances recognition memory judgements based on recollection, but not familiarity. The present study sought to clarify and extend upon these behavioural findings by investigating the influence of glucose administration on event-related potential (ERP) components that are thought to be differentially mediated by recollection and familiarity processes in healthy adolescents.


METHODS
In a within-subjects design, participants performed a recognition memory task, during which time electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded, subsequent to ingestion of either (a) glucose or (b) placebo in a counterbalanced order.


RESULTS
Response times during the recognition memory task were observed to be faster for the glucose condition, relative to a placebo control. Further, glucose ingestion was associated with an enhanced left parietal old/new ERP effect (a marker of recollection) and an enhanced mid-frontal old/new ERP effect (known to be mediated by familiarity).


CONCLUSIONS
These findings (a) support the results of previous research that the 'glucose memory facilitation effect' can be extended to healthy adolescents, but (b) suggest that glucose enhances both the recollection and familiarity components of recognition memory. The observed ERP profile has important implications for the proposal that glucose specifically targets the hippocampus in modulating cognitive performance.
Smith
Michael A
MA
School of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Western Australia, Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, G. P. O. Box D 184, Perth, Western Australia, 6840, Australia. msmith@meddent.uwa.edu.au
Riby
Leigh M
LM
Sünram-Lea
Sandra I
SI
van Eekelen
J A M
JA
Foster
Jonathan K
JK
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D001786:Blood Glucose; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005947:Glucose / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000502:physiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D021641:Recognition, Psychology / Q000502:physiology*; D013549:Sweetening Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
D001786:Blood Glucose; D013549:Sweetening Agents; D005947:Glucose