Stress and the retrieval of transformed memories: temporal dynamics and neuronal correlates

压力可能会妨碍记忆的恢复。应激的这种损害作用主要由海马介导。流行的记忆模型假设海马体在记忆提取中的作用会随着时间的推移而减弱，或者说提取变得甚至不依赖于海马体，这就提出了一个问题，即远程记忆的提取是否不受压力的影响，或者至少比最近记忆的提取受压力的影响要小。这个问题对于理解压力对记忆过程的影响特别重要，也可能具有相关的临床意义，因为新的治疗方法试图利用压力（激素）的破坏性作用来减少几种精神疾病中的功能障碍性记忆。因此，本研究探讨心理社会压力（特里尔社会压力测试）的影响，检索最近和远程的记忆，以及使用功能磁共振成像的潜在的大脑过程。本研究的发现对应激性提取障碍的临床应用具有重要意义。此外，该项目将为人类记忆提供新的，重要的见解，特别是随着时间的推移，海马体在记忆检索和记忆转化过程中的作用。

Stress may hamper memory retrieval. This impairing effect of stress is mainly mediated by the hippocampus. Popular memory models assume that the role of the hippocampus in memory retrieval decreases over time or that retrieval becomes even independent of the hippocampus, thus raising the question whether the retrieval of remote memories is not or at least less affected by stress than the retrieval of recent memories. This question is of particular importance for the understanding of stress effects on memory processes and may also have relevant clinical implications because novel treatment approaches attempt to employ the disruptive effects of stress (hormones) to reduce dysfunctional memories in several psychiatric disorders. Therefore, the present study examines the influence of psychosocial stress (Trier Sociat Stress Test) on the retrieval of recent and remote memories as well as the underlying brain processes using functional magnetic resonance imaging. The findings of this project may have important implications for clinical applications of the stress-induced retrieval impairment. Moreover, this project will provide novel, important insights into human memory, in particular with respect to the role of the hippocampus for memory retrieval and memory transformation processes over time.