Department of Cognitive Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany.
Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2012 Jan;37(1):125-36. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2011.05.013. Epub 2011 Jun 21.
Negative consequences of stress on working memory and delayed memory retrieval have been observed in adult humans. Little is known about the occurrence of similar effects in children. Forty-four German full-term children, aged 8-10 years, were randomly assigned to a stressful (Trier Social Stress Test for Children--TSST-C) or to a non-stressful control condition. Afterwards, delayed memory retrieval was tested using a computerized version of the well-known card game "Memory". It contained positive, neutral and negative stimuli. In addition, working memory of verbal and non-verbal material was assessed. The stressed children showed pronounced cortisol increases accompanied by a decrease in mood. Children exposed to the stressor performed poorer in the delayed memory retrieval test (memory card game). They committed more errors. No differences were found for working memory. The stress-induced memory retrieval impairment mirrors findings in adults. In contrast, the missing working memory effects could suggest developmental differences in stress sensitivity.
在成年人群体中，已经观察到压力对工作记忆和延迟记忆检索的负面影响。然而，对于儿童中是否存在类似的影响，我们知之甚少。本研究共招募了 44 名 8-10 岁的德国足月儿童，他们被随机分配到应激组（儿童 Trier 社会应激测试--TSST-C）或非应激组。随后，使用著名的卡片游戏“记忆”的计算机化版本测试了延迟记忆检索。该游戏包含积极、中性和消极的刺激。此外，还评估了言语和非言语材料的工作记忆。结果发现，应激组的儿童皮质醇水平显著升高，同时情绪下降。暴露于应激源的儿童在延迟记忆检索测试（记忆卡片游戏）中的表现较差，他们犯了更多的错误。而在工作记忆方面，两组之间没有差异。这种由应激引起的记忆检索障碍与成人的研究结果相似。相比之下，工作记忆方面没有差异可能表明在应激敏感性方面存在发育差异。
