The effects of stress on memory

The effects of stress on memory include interference with one’s capacity to encode and ability retrieve information.^[1] When stress occurs, the body reacts by secreting stress hormones into the blood stream. Stress can cause acute and chronic changes in certain brain areas which can cause long-term damages.^[2] Over-secretion of stress hormones most frequently affects memory negatively, but in a few cases can affect it positively. In particular, the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex and the amygdala are affected.^[3][4] One type of stress hormone responsible for affecting memory negatively is Glucocorticoids (GCs), also known as cortisol.^[4] Glucocorticoids facilitate and impair the actions of stress in the brain memory process.^[5] Cortisol is a known biomarker for stress.^[6] Under usual circumstances, the hippocampus regulates the production of cortisol because it has many receptors that are sensitive to these stress hormones. However, an excess of cortisol can impair the hippocampus by preventing one from being able to form a new memory and retrieving an existing memory.^[1] These stress hormones are also hindering the hippocampus from receiving enough energy by diverting glucose levels to surrounding muscles.^[1]

Stressed about exams

Stress affects many memory functions and cognitive functioning of the brain. There are different levels of stress and the high levels can be intrinsic or extrinsic. Intrinsic stress level is triggered by a cognitive challenge whereas extrinsic can be triggered by a condition not related to a cognitive task.^[ Intrinsic stress can be acutely and chronically experienced by a person.^[5] The varying effects of stress on performance or stress hormones are often compared to or known as “inverted-u”which induce areas in learning, memory and plasticity. Chronic stress can affect the brain structure and cognitions of the brain.
To determine how stress affects both intrinsic and extrinsic memory function, a study was done on both. The learning type used in both studies was Pavlovian conditioning and spatial learning. In regards to intrinsic, the study evaluated how stress affected memory function that was triggered by a learning challenge. In regards to extrinsic stress, the study focused on stress that was not related to cognitive task but was elicited by other situations. The results determined that Intrinsic stress was facilitated by memory consolidation process and extrinsic stress was determined to be heterogeneous in regards to memory consolidation. Researchers found that high stress conditions were a good representative of the impact that extrinsic stress can cause on memory functioning. It was also proven that extrinsic stress does have an impact on spatial learning wheareas acute extrinsic stress does not.^[