Stress: a modulator of memory consolidation and retrieval

Pragt, Jeroen (2021) Stress: a modulator of memory consolidation and retrieval. Bachelor's Thesis, Life Science and Technology.

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Abstract

Stress is experienced continuously in daily life. Peripheral responses towards stressors include the sympatho-adrenomedullary (SAM) system and the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The SAM system is responsible for the release of adrenaline and noradrenaline (NA), which can exerts effects on both brain and body. Besides that, the HPA-axis releases cortisol after a cascade of reactions. Previous research has revealed that these both stress responses are involved in the modulation of emotional memory. Emotional memory is the memory that can be associated with an emotional arousing event, that is caused by stress for instance. Main regions that are involved in the modulation of emotional memory are the amygdala and the hippocampus, of which it has been shown that the amygdala has projections towards the hippocampus. The hippocampus itself is a region that plays a main role in the acquisition and consolidation of spatiotemporal memory. Although this modulation is a very adaptive learning system, maladaptation of the stress responses can also result in pathological conditions, like in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In this thesis, the main mechanisms of the modulation of emotional memory as a response to stress will be described to give an updated overview of the current literature. Furthermore, the timing of the mechanisms will be discussed too. Finally, I will discuss the symptoms and mechanisms of PTSD and create future perspectives on the treatment of PTSD.

Item Type:	Thesis (Bachelor's Thesis)
Supervisor name:	Buwalda, B.
Degree programme:	Life Science and Technology
Thesis type:	Bachelor's Thesis
Language:	English
Date Deposited:	16 Feb 2022 11:28
Last Modified:	16 Feb 2022 11:28
URI:	https://fse.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/26606

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