Time-dependent effects of acute stress on working memory performance: A systematic review and hypothesis

Laboratory procedures such as the Trier Social Stress Test or the (Socially Evaluated) Cold Pressor Test have been used to investigate working memory performance under stress. Researchers so far have reported a diverse spectrum of stress effects (including the lack thereof) on working memory tasks. We conducted a systematic review of the effect acute stress on working memory performance in standardized laboratory procedures. An overview of the existing literature suggests that acute stress affects working memory in a time-dependent manner, presumably due to the differing time scales of the main stress-reactive hormones involved. Based on the empirical evidence, we hypothesize that the immediate stress-induced release of noradrenaline decreases working memory performance within the first 10 min post stress. In addition, rapid cortisol effects impair working memory at a later time-interval beginning about 25 min post stress. We outline future research di-rections which could further explore the implications of our insights, as for example combined pharmacological and naturalistic stressor interventions.

Automated summary

Laboratory procedures such as the Trier Social Stress Test or the (Socially Evaluated) Cold Pressor Test have been used to investigate the effect of acute stress on working memory performance. The literature suggests that acute stress affects working memory in a time-dependent manner due to the different time scales of stress-reactive hormones. Immediate release of noradrenaline decreases working memory performance within the first 10 minutes, while rapid cortisol effects impair working memory starting from about 25 minutes post stress. Future research directions could explore the implications of these insights using combined pharmacological and naturalistic stressor interventions.