Hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis and sympathetic activation: Joint predictors of memory in children, adolescents, and adults

Although the links between physiological arousal and adults’ memory for emotional information are well understood, little is known about these links across development or when memory is examined for the actual event that induced arousal. In the current study, we examined the associations between physiological arousal and memory in children, adolescents, and young adults. Participants completed a laboratory stressor, the Trier Social Stress Test-Modified (TSST-M) during which salivary cortisol, pre-ejection period (PEP), and self-reported distress were measured. Two weeks later, participants completed a surprise memory test about what occurred during the TSST-M. Larger cortisol responses predicted enhanced memory, especially among individuals who also exhibited a PEP response the TSST-M. These associations did not vary with age. Results have implications for understanding how coordinated physiological responses may influence memory for salient, personal experiences across development.

► Greater HPA axis during a laboratory stressor predicted enhanced memory in children, adolescents, and young adults.
► Sympathetic arousal during the laboratory stressor only predictive of memory in conjunction with HPA axis activation.
► When participants were sympathetically aroused, the strongest benefits of HPA axis activation on memory emerged.