Glucocorticoids boost stimulus-response memory formation in humans.
Stress affects memory beyond hippocampus-dependent spatial or episodic memory processes. In particular, stress may influence also striatum-dependent stimulus-response (S-R) memory processes. Rodent studies point to an important role of glucocorticoids in the modulation of S-R memory. However, whether glucocorticoids influence S-R memory processes in humans is still unknown. Therefore, we examined in the current experiment the impact of glucocorticoids on the formation of S-R memories in humans. For this purpose, healthy men and women received either hydrocortisone or a placebo 45 min before completing an S-R association learning task and an S-R navigation task. In addition, participants performed also a virtual spatial navigation task and a spatial navigation task in a real environment. Memory of all four learning tasks was tested one week later. Our data showed that hydrocortisone before learning enhanced memory of the S-R association learning task. Moreover, hydrocortisone enhanced the memory of the virtual spatial navigation task, mainly in women. Memory performance in the other tasks remained unaffected by hydrocortisone. These findings provide first evidence that glucocorticoids may facilitate S-R memory formation processes in humans.
Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Cognitive Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitaetsstrasse 150, 44780 Bochum, Germany; International Graduate School of Neuroscience (IGSN), Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitaetsstrasse 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany.
Friederike M
FM
Guenzel
Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Cognitive Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitaetsstrasse 150, 44780 Bochum, Germany; International Graduate School of Neuroscience (IGSN), Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitaetsstrasse 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany.
Oliver T
OT
Wolf
Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Cognitive Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitaetsstrasse 150, 44780 Bochum, Germany. Electronic address: lars.schwabe@rub.de.
Lars
L
Schwabe
D000328:Adult; D001245:Association Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D003200:Computer User Training; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D010919:Placebos; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D055815:Young Adult
D005938:Glucocorticoids; D010919:Placebos; D006854:Hydrocortisone
Glucocorticoids; Memory; Spatial learning; Stimulus-response learning; Stress