Neuroendocrine modulators of infant memory

婴儿记忆的神经内分泌调节剂

• 批准号: 341707-2007
• 负责人: Haley, David
• 金额: $ 1.37万
• 依托单位: University of Toronto
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2009-01-01 至 2010-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=429813
• 关键词: Neuroendocrine; modulators; infant; memory

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.

压力荷尔蒙有能力增强或破坏大脑形成新记忆的能力，特别是在情绪唤醒的情况下。在过去的几十年里，我们对记忆中与年龄相关的变化的理解取得了很大进展，最近，在记忆发育的神经相关方面也取得了很大进展。相比之下，关于压力荷尔蒙如何影响婴儿的记忆，或者记忆发育的荷尔蒙相关性，人们知之甚少。我的研究项目通过在生命的第一年调查压力和记忆之间的关系来解决这些差距。我使用适合年龄的方法来研究压力、情绪和记忆，采用的研究设计区分了压力对记忆的特定阶段(即编码、巩固和提取)的影响。我正在验证一种假设，即适度的诱导压力可以增强记忆力。我还通过检验以下假设来检验情绪和自主神经唤醒在学习和记忆中的作用：即在压力期间更频繁地表达愤怒而不是悲伤，与增强学习和记忆的压力反应模式相关。我的研究项目解决的另一个问题是压力和记忆之间的关系中的性别差异。在动物研究的基础上，我正在检验压力对记忆的影响在男孩和女孩中不同的假设。最后，我正在评估第一年压力荷尔蒙的正常发育变化，以确定这些变化是否可以预测记忆表现。我正在验证一个假设，即基础皮质醇水平从3个月到6个月到9个月会出现发育性下降，基础应激激素的发育性下降将与更好的记忆表现有关。这种研究婴儿压力的新方法促进了我们对压力如何影响认知的理解，并为婴儿调节压力的能力如何影响他们记忆所学知识的能力提供了至关重要的见解。这项研究计划将显著提高我们对压力在婴儿期记忆中的作用的了解，从而为儿科保健、育儿和早期教育中的循证实践奠定关键的基础。