Fading memories : the impact of stress hormones on the retrieval of emotional memories

Tollenaar, M.S. (2009)

Doctoral Thesis

The main goal of the present thesis was to study the effects of stress and stress hormones on the retrieval of emotional memories in healthy humans. In addition, we were interested in the effects of stress hormones on post-retrieval processes like reconsolidation. That is, are there only acute and temporary effects of stress hormones on memory retrieval, or are there also long-term effects? Studying effects of stress hormones can be done in two ways; either by (experimentally) inducing stress in humans, or by exogenously administering doses of stress hormones. In the present thesis both ways were used. Furthermore, when investigating emotional memories, we can make use of memories that are created in a laboratory setting or those that derive from real life experiences, i.e. autobiographical memories. Again, both methods were investigated. We found acute stress and a single cortisol administration to have direct and long-term impairing effects on memory for neutral and emotional information that was learned and reactivated in a controlled laboratory situation. Future studies should shed more light on the generalizability of these findings to real life settings and clinical practice.

• Cortisol
• Emotion
• Hormones
• Memory
• (Nor)adrenaline
• Reconsolidation
• Retrieval
• Stress

• All authors: Tollenaar, M.S.
• Supervisor: Spinhoven, P.; Everaerd, W.T.A.M.
• Co-supervisor: Elzinga, B.M.
• Committee: -
• Qualification: Doctor (dr.)
• Awarding Institution: Clinical, Health and Neuropsychology, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Leiden University
• Date: 2009-05-13
• ISBN (print): 9789085702825
• Court: LEI Universiteit Leiden
• Sponsorship: NWO grant 400-03-210