Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 23, 2026

Reducing State Anxiety Using Working Memory Maintenance
Published on: July 19, 2017
Verbal and Visuospatial Working Memory Performance During the CO2 Challenge Model of Anxiety
Warren Dunger1, Marc Edwards1, Alex Board1
1School of Psychology, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
Objective:
Anxiety influences working memory performance, but the effects on clinical neuropsychological assessments of working memory are not well known.
Methods:
We examined the effect of anxiety, induced using the 7.5% carbon dioxide model of anxiety on standardized clinical neuropsychological tests of working memory and executive function in a single-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, crossover within-subjects design.
Results:
The CO2-challenge reduced spatial working memory performance and verbal working memory performance accuracy when task demands were high. The CO2-challenge increased effort and reduced processing efficiency across all verbal and spatial working memory tasks.
Conclusions:
The CO2-challenge resulted in significant reductions in working memory performance and processing efficiency. These results encourage the routine assessment of anxiety when administering and interpreting neuropsychological measures of working memory function in clinical practice.
Related Concept Videos
Anxiety: Overview
Individuals with anxiety often experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms, including sweating, trembling, tachycardia, and disturbances in sleep patterns. These symptoms vary in intensity and frequency but are generally disruptive and distressing.
Working Memory
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Social Anxiety Disorder
Panic Disorder

