RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Glucocorticoid-induced impairment in declarative memory performance in adult humans
JF The Journal of Neuroscience
JO J. Neurosci.
FD Society for Neuroscience
SP 2047
OP 2053
DO 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.14-04-02047.1994
VO 14
IS 4
A1 JW Newcomer
A1 S Craft
A1 T Hershey
A1 K Askins
A1 ME Bardgett
YR 1994
UL http://www.jneurosci.org/content/14/4/2047.abstract
AB Glucocorticoids (GCs) have a variety of effects on the brain including site-preferential, inhibitory effects on hippocampal neurons. In the case of dexamethasone (DEX), extended rather than single-dose treatment in vivo may be required for binding to brain rather than peripheral (e.g., pituitary) GC receptors and for maximizing other biologic effects in hippocampus (e.g., GC receptor downregulation, inhibition of glucose transport). Based on the contributory role of hippocampal neurons in declarative memory performance, we investigated the cognitive consequences of DEX treatment in normal adult human subjects, hypothesizing a decrease in declarative memory performance after extended but not overnight treatment. Double-blind, placebo-controlled treatment with DEX was given at 2300 hr for four consecutive days (0.5, 1, 1, 1 mg, respectively). Plasma sampling (0800 and 1600 hr) and cognitive testing (1600 hr) were performed on study days 0 (baseline), 1, and 4, and 7 d posttreatment. Repeated-measures ANOVA found a significant interaction between study day and treatment condition for correct recall during a paragraph recall task [F(3,51) = 3.52, p = 0.02]. DEX (n = 10) in comparison to placebo (n = 9) treatment decreased correct paragraph recall on study day 4 [F(1,17) = 5.01, p = 0.04] and study day 11 [F(1,17) = 5.82, p = 0.03], with the lowest level of performance occurring on day 4 followed by a return toward baseline performance level by day 11. In the placebo-treated subjects, correct paragraph recall improved over the course of treatment, consistent with practice.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)