Inter-individual differences in trait negative affect moderate cortisol's effects on memory formation: Preliminary findings from two studies

Abstract

Acute emotional arousal moderates the effects of cortisol on memory. However, it is currently unknown how stable inter-individual differences (i.e., traits) moderate cortisol’s effects on memory. In two studies using within-subjects designs -- 31 healthy males in Study 1 and 42 healthy subjects (22 female) in Study 2 -- we measured trait negative affect (NA) and presented emotional and neutral pictures. In Study 1, we manipulated endogenous cortisol levels using a speech stressor following encoding. In Study 2, using a randomized placebo-controlled design, we pharmacologically manipulated cortisol levels prior to encoding (0.1 mg/kg hydrocortisone vs. saline infused over 30 min). Free recall for pictures was subsequently assessed. Trait NA repeatedly moderated the relationship between cortisol and memory formation. Findings suggested the speculative conclusion that the direction of effects may vary by sex. In males, cortisol was related to memory facilitation in subjects with lower Trait NA. Conversely, females with higher Trait NA showed greater cortisol-related increases in memory. Trait NA may be a stable inter-individual difference predicting neurocognitive effects of cortisol during stressors.

Modulatory mechanisms of cortisol effects on emotional learning and memory: Novel perspectives

“…It should be noted that Abercrombie and colleagues (2012a) found for men (compared to women) that trait emotional arousal operated differently as a moderator. In two studies, they found that cortisol elevation was related to memory facilitation in men who reported experiencing lower (not higher as in women) levels of trait emotional arousal.…”

“…However, only recently has research focused on how traits or lasting qualities (e.g., due to past experiences) moderate the effects of cortisol on learning (Abercrombie et al, 2012a; Bagot et al, 2009; Champagne et al, 2008). Evidence is emerging showing that lasting inter-individual differences due to variation in early life experiences and/or dispositional (“trait”) emotional arousal moderate cortisol’s effects on neuroplasticity and learning.…”

“…Thus, it has been hypothesized that humans who are dispositionally prone to higher levels of emotional arousal (i.e., higher “trait” emotional arousal) would be more sensitive to the effects of cortisol on memory (Abercrombie et al, 2012a). Data consistent with this hypothesis have been found in women; Abercrombie and colleagues (2012a) found that cortisol elevation was related to facilitation of memory formation only in women who endorsed greater levels of “trait” negative emotion. Cortisol levels were not related to memory performance in women with lower levels of trait negative emotional arousal.…”

Neurocognitive function and state cognitive stress appraisal predict cortisol reactivity to an acute psychosocial stressor in adolescents

“…Several clinical studies of depression and anxiety report a negative association of increased diurnal cortisol levels with weaknesses in both verbal and nonverbal memory (Gomez et al, 2009; Hinkelmann et al, 2009). Findings may reflect an additive effect of negative affect on alterations in HPA function in addition to the variance due to memory deficits (Buchanan et al, 1999; Abercrombie et al, 2012). The interaction of internalizing disorders with verbal memory in this study may also be partially related to the verbal demands of the TSST as suggested by similar findings in adults with lower educational levels and relative weaknesses in verbal abilities (Fiocco et al, 2007).…”

GABAergic control of the activity of the central nucleus of the amygdala in low- and high-anxiety rats

“…Chronic corticosterone administration, similar to stress, was found to attenuate inhibitory GABAergic control to the BLA, leading to local neuronal hyperexcitability (Kavushansky and Richter-Levin, 2006;Rodriguez-Manzanares et al, 2005). Furthermore, clinical data suggest that the effect of cortisol on emotional memory depends on individual susceptibility (e.g., cortisol elevation was related to the facilitation of aversive memory formation in women with higher emotional arousal) (Abercrombie et al, 2012;van Ast et al, 2013). Based on this data, in the present study, we sought to test the hypothesis that animals more vulnerable to fear (HR rats) would be more sensitive to the effects of corticosterone on amygdala nuclei activity and fear memory and that this effect is accompanied by changes in the local expression of markers of neuronal and GABAergic system activity.…”