Neuroendocrine modulators of infant memory

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Stress hormones have the capacity to enhance or disrupt the brain's capacity to form new memories, especially under conditions of emotional arousal. Over the past few decades, there has been much progress in our understanding of age-related changes in memory, and, more recently, in the neural correlates of memory development. In contrast, there is sparse knowledge about how stress hormones affect memory in infants or about the hormonal correlates of memory development. My research program addresses these gaps by investigating the relationship between stress and memory in the first year of life. I use age-appropriate methods to study stress, emotion, and memory using a research design that differentiates the effects of stress on specific stages of memory (i.e., encoding, consolidation, and retrieval). I am testing the hypothesis that moderate induced stress enhances memory. I am also examining the role of emotional and autonomic arousal in learning and memory by testing the hypothesis that more frequent expressions of anger rather than sadness during stress is associated with a pattern of stress reactivity that enhances learning and memory. Another question that my research program addresses is sex differences in the relationship between stress and memory. Based on animal studies, I am testing the hypothesis that the impact of stress on memory differs in boys and girls. Finally, I am evaluating normal developmental changes in stress hormones over the first year in order to determine whether these changes predict memory performance. I am testing the hypothesis that there will be a developmental decline in basal cortisol levels from 3 to 6 to 9 months, and that a greater developmental decline in basal stress hormones will be related to better memory performance. This novel approach to the study of stress in infants is advancing our understanding of how stress affects cognition, and it offers critical insight into how infant's ability to regulate stress affects their ability to remember what they have learned. This research program will significantly enhance our knowledge of the role of stress in memory during infancy, thus laying crucial groundwork for evidence-based practices in pediatric health care, parenting, and early education.