急性应激影响工作记忆的生理心理机制

急性应激是机体面对外界环境变化所产生的一系列生理和心理反应, 对认知加工, 尤其是核心的工作记忆能力产生深远影响, 然而以往的研究存在大量不一致的结果。从应激诱发方式、工作记忆加工子成分、个体差异等三个方面系统阐释应激影响工作记忆的生理心理机制, 并结合认知神经机制的框架, 可以更好地理解以往的结果。未来研究应综合考虑应激诱发、认知任务和响应个体等方面的差异对应激带来的影响, 并关注急性应激负面影响的干预与调控。

The influence of acute stress on working memory: Physiological and psychological mechanisms

Acute stress is a series of physiological and psychological reaction that could help people adjust homeostasis, when their body facing changes and challenges in the external environment. Acute stress has a profound impact on cognitive processing, especially the core function working memory. However, inconsistent behavioral influence by acute stress exists in a plethora of previous studies. We therefore review the empirical results, and systematically summarize the findings. From three perspectives, methods to induce stress, working memory tasks/sub-components, and subjects’ individual differences, we can better explain the physiological and psychological mechanisms underlying the influence of acute stress on working memory. We proposed that the influence could be better understood from views of cognitive neural mechanisms. Future studies should jointly consider these extensive factors of stress and translate findings from basic research into intervention and regulation of negative effects of acute stress.