152208 20251017144619.0 doi 10.1016/j.bbr.2025.115525 sideral 143408 ART-2025-143408 eng Garces-Arilla, Sara Universidad de Zaragoza (orcid)0000-0001-6285-8158 Post-encoding stress and spatial memory consolidation: No significant associations with cortisol and DHEA reactivity 2025 Access copy available to the general public Unrestricted Memory consolidation is enhanced by post-encoding stress via cortisol, although the role of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) remains uncertain. This study investigated the effect of the Maastricht Acute Stress Test (MAST) on psychological and hormonal (salivary cortisol and DHEA) responses and performance on a virtual reality object-location memory (OLM) task. The association between hormonal reactivity and OLM task performance was also investigated. Fifty-four participants aged 18–23 were randomly assigned to a stress group (n = 30) and a control group (n = 24). Participants completed an encoding trial of the OLM task and the MAST/control procedure in an acquisition session. A retrieval session 24 h later included verbal object and visual location recognition tests, as well as an object-context binding (OCB) trial. Results showed that the stress group reported significantly higher state anxiety and negative affect after the MAST, perceived as more stressful, painful, and unpleasant. This group also exhibited a significant increase in cortisol and DHEA levels in response to the MAST. Controlling for age, participants in the stress condition made fewer errors in recognising semantically unrelated objects and tended to complete the OCB trial in a shorter time. In addition, no associations were found between cortisol or DHEA reactivity and memory performance in either the stress group or the control group. Our data indicate that post-encoding stress enhances consolidation; however, no association was found between hormonal reactivity and this process, suggesting that these endocrine responses do not directly support the observed improvement in memory consolidation. info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/DGA/S31-23R info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/UZ/EQUZ2022-SOC-06 info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/UZ/JIUZ2022-CSJ-11 info:eu-repo/semantics/embargoedAccess by-nc-nd https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/deed.es info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion Hidalgo, Vanesa Universidad de Zaragoza (orcid)0000-0003-3920-1099 Fidalgo, Camino Universidad de Zaragoza (orcid)0000-0002-4732-6417 Salvador, Alicia Juan, M.-Carmen Mendez-Lopez, Magdalena Universidad de Zaragoza (orcid)0000-0002-4249-602X 4009 725 Universidad de Zaragoza Dpto. Psicología y Sociología Área Psicobiología 4009 680 Universidad de Zaragoza Dpto. Psicología y Sociología Área Person.Eval.Trat.Psicoló. 485 (2025), 115525 [12 pp.] Behav. brain res. Behavioural brain research 0166-4328 1608967 http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/152208/files/texto_completo.pdf Postprint info:eu-repo/date/embargoEnd/2026-11-08 1354519 http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/152208/files/texto_completo.jpg?subformat=icon icon Postprint info:eu-repo/date/embargoEnd/2026-11-08 oai:zaguan.unizar.es:152208 articulos driver 2025-10-17-14:20:58 ARTICLE