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Related Concept Videos

Metabolic States of the Body: The Postabsorptive State01:18

Metabolic States of the Body: The Postabsorptive State

The postabsorptive state usually starts about four hours after a meal and lasts until the next meal is eaten. During this time, the digestive system stops absorbing nutrients, and the body uses stored energy reserves to maintain stable blood glucose levels.
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Without prolonged fasting, healthy individuals maintain blood glucose levels above 3.5 mM due to a well-adapted neuroendocrine counterregulatory system that effectively prevents acute hypoglycemia, a potentially life-threatening condition. The primary clinical scenarios for hypoglycemia encompass diabetes treatment, inappropriate production of endogenous insulin or insulin-like substances by tumors, and the use of glucose-lowering agents in non-diabetic individuals. Notably, hypoglycemia in the...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 16, 2026

Hippocampal Insulin Microinjection and In vivo Microdialysis During Spatial Memory Testing
10:32

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Declining Blood Glucose Levels after a Cognitively Demanding Task Predict Subsequent Memory.

R T Donohoe1, D Benton1

  • 1a Department of Psychology , University of Wales Swansea , Swansea SA2 8PP , Wales , UK.

Nutritional Neuroscience
|July 15, 2016
PubMed
Summary

Declining blood glucose levels enhance memory and reduce errors during cognitive tasks. This effect is observed only when individuals are under cognitive demand, not during rest.

Keywords:
Blood glucoseGlucoseHumansMemoryVigilance

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Human Physiology

Background:

  • Previous research suggests a link between falling blood glucose levels and improved cognitive function.
  • The precise conditions under which this association occurs remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if declining blood glucose levels enhance memory specifically under cognitive demand.
  • To examine the relationship between blood glucose changes and performance on a vigilance task.

Main Methods:

  • Participants consumed either a placebo or a glucose drink.
  • Subjects then either rested or performed a vigilance task.
  • Memory recall for a word list was assessed.
  • Blood glucose levels were monitored.

Main Results:

  • Memory performance improved in participants who performed the vigilance task and consumed a glucose drink, correlating with more significant blood glucose drops.
  • Fewer errors were made on the vigilance task by individuals with more pronounced blood glucose declines.
  • No significant association between falling blood glucose and memory was found in the resting condition.

Conclusions:

  • Declining blood glucose levels can enhance memory and task performance, but only when cognitive demand is present.
  • Cognitive demand appears to be a critical moderator of the relationship between blood glucose and cognitive function.