Memory Retrieval After an Acute Academic Stressor: An Exploratory Analysis of Anticipatory Cortisol and DHEA Responses

The relationship between hormonal reactivity to acute stress and memory is well established, but the role of anticipatory cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) levels remains underexplored. This study aimed to assess the psychobiological responses (anxiety, affect, cortisol and DHEA) to an acad...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Garces-Arilla, S, Hidalgo, V, Fidalgo, C, Peiró, T, Salvador, A, Mendez-Lopez, M
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2026
País:España
Institución:INCLIVA
Repositorio:r-INCLIVA. Repositorio Institucional de Producción Científica de INCLIVA
OAI Identifier:oai:dnet:incliva_____::877fdbf42c83bd2f681a91c9a1a570a0
Acceso en línea:https://incliva.portalinvestigacion.com/publicaciones/20843
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:cortisol
DHEA
memory retrieval
academic examination
anticipatory response
id ES_92be1983db9e8aa047ffb332b59f9fa6
oai_identifier_str oai:dnet:incliva_____::877fdbf42c83bd2f681a91c9a1a570a0
network_acronym_str ES
network_name_str España
repository_id_str
spelling Memory Retrieval After an Acute Academic Stressor: An Exploratory Analysis of Anticipatory Cortisol and DHEA ResponsesGarces-Arilla, SHidalgo, VFidalgo, CPeiró, TSalvador, AMendez-Lopez, McortisolDHEAmemory retrievalacademic examinationanticipatory responseThe relationship between hormonal reactivity to acute stress and memory is well established, but the role of anticipatory cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) levels remains underexplored. This study aimed to assess the psychobiological responses (anxiety, affect, cortisol and DHEA) to an academic examination, subsequent memory performance and associations between anticipatory hormonal response and memory retrieval. Seventy-nine undergraduates (10 males) completed an acquisition session involving picture encoding and immediate free recall. Forty-eight hours later, during the recall session, they sat a written examination followed by delayed free recall and recognition tasks. Results showed higher anticipatory anxiety, negative affect and cortisol levels in the recall session than in the acquisition session. Participants showed poorer delayed recall performance and reduced recognition of neutral pictures. In addition, after correction for multiple comparisons, exploratory hierarchical regression analyses indicated that anticipatory cortisol levels and the cortisol/DHEA ratio assessed prior to the recall session were negatively associated with total delayed free recall performance, with the cortisol/DHEA ratio also being negatively associated with delayed free recall of negative pictures. In the absence of a control group, these findings cannot be used to make causal inferences. However, they are consistent with theoretical accounts of DHEA's anti-glucocorticoid role and highlight associations between cortisol/DHEA balance and delayed free recall performance, particularly for negative emotional material.MDPI2026info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionhttps://incliva.portalinvestigacion.com/publicaciones/20843Applied Sciences-BaselISSN: 20763417reponame:r-INCLIVA. Repositorio Institucional de Producción Científica de INCLIVAinstname:INCLIVAInglésinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:dnet:incliva_____::877fdbf42c83bd2f681a91c9a1a570a02026-06-07T16:35:31Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Memory Retrieval After an Acute Academic Stressor: An Exploratory Analysis of Anticipatory Cortisol and DHEA Responses
title Memory Retrieval After an Acute Academic Stressor: An Exploratory Analysis of Anticipatory Cortisol and DHEA Responses
spellingShingle Memory Retrieval After an Acute Academic Stressor: An Exploratory Analysis of Anticipatory Cortisol and DHEA Responses
Garces-Arilla, S
cortisol
DHEA
memory retrieval
academic examination
anticipatory response
title_short Memory Retrieval After an Acute Academic Stressor: An Exploratory Analysis of Anticipatory Cortisol and DHEA Responses
title_full Memory Retrieval After an Acute Academic Stressor: An Exploratory Analysis of Anticipatory Cortisol and DHEA Responses
title_fullStr Memory Retrieval After an Acute Academic Stressor: An Exploratory Analysis of Anticipatory Cortisol and DHEA Responses
title_full_unstemmed Memory Retrieval After an Acute Academic Stressor: An Exploratory Analysis of Anticipatory Cortisol and DHEA Responses
title_sort Memory Retrieval After an Acute Academic Stressor: An Exploratory Analysis of Anticipatory Cortisol and DHEA Responses
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Garces-Arilla, S
Hidalgo, V
Fidalgo, C
Peiró, T
Salvador, A
Mendez-Lopez, M
author Garces-Arilla, S
author_facet Garces-Arilla, S
Hidalgo, V
Fidalgo, C
Peiró, T
Salvador, A
Mendez-Lopez, M
author_role author
author2 Hidalgo, V
Fidalgo, C
Peiró, T
Salvador, A
Mendez-Lopez, M
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv cortisol
DHEA
memory retrieval
academic examination
anticipatory response
topic cortisol
DHEA
memory retrieval
academic examination
anticipatory response
description The relationship between hormonal reactivity to acute stress and memory is well established, but the role of anticipatory cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) levels remains underexplored. This study aimed to assess the psychobiological responses (anxiety, affect, cortisol and DHEA) to an academic examination, subsequent memory performance and associations between anticipatory hormonal response and memory retrieval. Seventy-nine undergraduates (10 males) completed an acquisition session involving picture encoding and immediate free recall. Forty-eight hours later, during the recall session, they sat a written examination followed by delayed free recall and recognition tasks. Results showed higher anticipatory anxiety, negative affect and cortisol levels in the recall session than in the acquisition session. Participants showed poorer delayed recall performance and reduced recognition of neutral pictures. In addition, after correction for multiple comparisons, exploratory hierarchical regression analyses indicated that anticipatory cortisol levels and the cortisol/DHEA ratio assessed prior to the recall session were negatively associated with total delayed free recall performance, with the cortisol/DHEA ratio also being negatively associated with delayed free recall of negative pictures. In the absence of a control group, these findings cannot be used to make causal inferences. However, they are consistent with theoretical accounts of DHEA's anti-glucocorticoid role and highlight associations between cortisol/DHEA balance and delayed free recall performance, particularly for negative emotional material.
publishDate 2026
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2026
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://incliva.portalinvestigacion.com/publicaciones/20843
url https://incliva.portalinvestigacion.com/publicaciones/20843
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv MDPI
publisher.none.fl_str_mv MDPI
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv Applied Sciences-Basel
ISSN: 20763417
reponame:r-INCLIVA. Repositorio Institucional de Producción Científica de INCLIVA
instname:INCLIVA
instname_str INCLIVA
reponame_str r-INCLIVA. Repositorio Institucional de Producción Científica de INCLIVA
collection r-INCLIVA. Repositorio Institucional de Producción Científica de INCLIVA
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
_version_ 1869413495248781313
score 15.81155

Similares en LA Referencia