The effect of increased stress levels on memory test performance

The present study examines the effect of a sympathetic stressor on a short-term memory test, and changes in cortical Beta wave amplitude, which when present, indicate active cognition. While testing these variables, heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) were also recorded to ensure that sympathetic stimulation occurred; control subjects were also used as a reference to ensure that stimulation was indeed caused by the intended stimulus. Two short-term memory tests were conducted; one under no stress, and another with an added sympathetic stressor. The changes between each recorded variable during these two tests were averaged across all subjects and analyzed for significance. Although results indicated a significantly increased sympathetic response overall (P < 0.05 for HR during recitation and BP), results for changes in Beta waves among all subjects were inconclusive (P > 0.05); therefore, the effect of stress on Beta wave activity has yet to be determined. However, it was concluded that increased sympathetic response had a negative impact on subjects’ short-term memory during this study, which may indicate that increased stress reduces performance on working memory tests.