Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 17, 2026

Eye Tracking, Cortisol, and a Sleep vs. Wake Consolidation Delay: Combining Methods to Uncover an Interactive Effect of Sleep and Cortisol on Memory
08:08

Eye Tracking, Cortisol, and a Sleep vs. Wake Consolidation Delay: Combining Methods to Uncover an Interactive Effect of Sleep and Cortisol on Memory

Published on: June 18, 2014

Effects of an Early Family Intervention on Children's Memory: The Mediating Effects of Cortisol Levels

Daphne Blunt Bugental1, Alex Schwartz, Colleen Lynch

  • 1University of California, Santa Barbara.

Mind, Brain and Education : the Official Journal of the International Mind, Brain, and Education Society
|November 10, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Early intervention programs can positively impact infant stress responses and cognitive development. Maternal participation in a cognitive program led to lower infant cortisol levels, predicting better verbal short-term memory in children.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental psychology
  • Pediatric health
  • Neuroendocrinology

Background:

  • Early adversity poses risks to children's long-term developmental outcomes.
  • The Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis is a key stress response system sensitive to early life experiences.
  • Understanding interventions that mitigate early life stress is crucial for child development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the effect of a novel cognitive home visitation program on infant HPA axis activity.
  • To investigate the mediating role of maternal behavior in the intervention's impact on infant stress.
  • To determine if early hormonal changes predict later cognitive outcomes in at-risk infants.

Main Methods:

  • Medically at-risk infants' HPA axis activity was measured.
  • Mothers participated in either a cognitive intervention or a Healthy Start program.
  • Maternal avoidance/withdrawal and infant cortisol levels were assessed, along with child verbal short-term memory at age 3.

Main Results:

  • Maternal participation in the cognitive intervention predicted lower basal cortisol levels in infants.
  • Reduced maternal avoidance/withdrawal mediated the relationship between the intervention and lower infant cortisol.
  • Lower infant cortisol levels were associated with higher verbal short-term memory at age 3.

Conclusions:

  • Cognitively-based home visitation programs can beneficially modulate infant stress physiology.
  • Early intervention-induced hormonal changes may positively influence cognitive development, specifically verbal short-term memory.
  • Findings highlight a pathway linking early intervention, HPA axis regulation, and later learning outcomes.

More Related Videos

Using Practice Testing, Public Speaking, and Source Monitoring to Examine the Influences of Learning Strategies and Stress on Episodic Memory07:59

Using Practice Testing, Public Speaking, and Source Monitoring to Examine the Influences of Learning Strategies and Stress on Episodic Memory

Published on: June 14, 2019

A Modified Trier Social Stress Test for Vulnerable Mexican American Adolescents06:15

A Modified Trier Social Stress Test for Vulnerable Mexican American Adolescents

Published on: July 10, 2017

Related Concept Videos

Information Processing Approach01:30

Information Processing Approach

The information-processing theory of cognitive development centers on fundamental mental processes, including attention, memory, and problem-solving skills. Researchers in this field examine how cognitive abilities, such as working memory, evolve and influence children's overall development. Studies indicate that children with stronger working memory tend to excel in reading comprehension, math, and problem-solving compared to peers with less efficient memory skills. Low working memory is also...
Traumatic Memory01:20

Traumatic Memory

Emotionally traumatic events often lead to memories that are exceptionally vivid and enduring, sometimes persisting with remarkable clarity throughout an individual's life. A classic example of this phenomenon is a person who survives a car accident. Even years later, they may recall every detail of the event with startling accuracy — the screeching of the tires, the jarring impact, and the acrid smell of burning rubber. Such vividness contrasts sharply with how an individual remembers mundane...
Introduction to Stress and Lifestyle01:27

Introduction to Stress and Lifestyle

Stress is a multifaceted response to events perceived as challenging or threatening, highlighting physical, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral reactions. Physically, stress can lead to fatigue, sleep disruptions, and various health issues such as frequent colds, chest pains, and nausea. Emotionally, it can manifest as anxiety, depression, irritability, and anger triggered by both minor and major life events. Cognitively, it may result in difficulty in concentration, memory, and...
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder01:30

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. It affects approximately 5-8% of children globally, with around 60-70% of cases persisting into adulthood. ADHD has significant implications for educational attainment, social interactions, and occupational success.
Diagnostic Criteria and Symptoms
To diagnose ADHD, symptoms must manifest before age 12 and be evident across multiple settings.
The Influence of Affect on Cognition01:29

The Influence of Affect on Cognition

Positive affect significantly influences cognitive processes, including evaluation, memory, creativity, and social judgments. Compared to negative affect, positive emotional states promote more favorable interpretations of stimuli, cognitive flexibility, and heuristic processing. These effects highlight emotions' powerful role in shaping how individuals perceive, remember, and interact with the world.Influence on Evaluation and AttributionWhen individuals experience positive affect, they are...
Environmental Influences on Intelligence01:29

Environmental Influences on Intelligence

Despite the strong genetic influence on traits like intelligence, environmental factors significantly shape outcomes. For example, while over 90% of height variation is due to genetic differences, environmental factors such as nutrition also have a notable impact. Similarly, for intelligence, changes in a child's surroundings can significantly alter their IQ. Research shows that enriched environments boost children's academic success and help them develop key cognitive skills. Children from...