Disrupted Connections: The Impact of Acute Stress on Memory Integration

Enrolling by invitation · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Stress, Control Condition

In brief

The goal of this study is to better understand how stress impacts people's ability to learn across their experiences and link new information to what they already know. The investigators will compare performance on a memory task between stressed and non-stressed participants. This memory task requires people to integrate knowledge across learning experiences (think: having to "connect the dots", draw inferences, and generalize your knowledge to new situations and scenarios). Cortisol, the brain's primary stress hormone, will be measured at multiple points throughout the study to measure stress levels. The investigators hypothesize that: 1. Stress will disrupt performance on the memory task by interfering with memory processes that enable linking of related memories. 2. Higher cortisol levels, which reflect a greater stress response, will relate to greater deficits in memory performance across participants. This research has broad implications for understanding how stress impacts the ability to learn and retain new information, particularly in high-stress environments like schools and workplaces. Additionally, this work may provide insights into the cognitive difficulties experienced by individuals with psychiatric disorders, where stress can worsen memory and learning challenges.

Key facts

Study ID
NCT07055555
Run by
Nevada State University
People needed
80
Starts
2026-03-26
Expected to finish
2027-08-31
Last updated by the study team
2026-06-08

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 35. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

You may not qualify if…

Where it is running

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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