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Glucocorticoid effects on object recognition memory require training-associated emotional arousal.
Shoki Okuda1, Benno Roozendaal, James L McGaugh
1Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, and Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-3800, USA. okudas@uci.edu
Summary
Glucocorticoids impact memory, but this effect depends on emotional arousal during training. Emotional arousal is essential for glucocorticoid hormones to influence object recognition memory.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Endocrinology
- Behavioral Psychology
Background:
- Glucocorticoid hormones play a role in memory consolidation and retrieval.
- The impact of glucocorticoids on memory may be modulated by emotional arousal during learning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if emotional arousal influences the effects of glucocorticoids on object recognition memory.
- To examine the role of corticosterone in memory under varying levels of training-associated emotional arousal.
Main Methods:
- Male Sprague-Dawley rats were used to test the effects of post-training corticosterone injections.
- Two conditions were used: non-habituated rats (high arousal) and habituated rats (low arousal).
- Object recognition memory was assessed at 1-hr and 24-hr retention intervals.
Main Results:
- Corticosterone enhanced 24-hr retention in non-habituated rats in an inverted-U dose-response manner.
- Corticosterone did not affect 24-hr retention in habituated rats.
- Corticosterone impaired 1-hr retention in non-habituated rats but not in habituated rats.
Conclusions:
- Training-induced emotional arousal appears necessary for glucocorticoid hormones to affect object recognition memory.
- Emotional context during learning is a critical factor in how glucocorticoids modulate memory performance.