ABSTRACT
Stress and glucocorticoids impair retrieval of long-term spatial memory Dominique J.-F. de Quervain", Ben no Roozendaal• & James L. McGaugh·t • Cc'tJI(r for the Sruro#rj,,fut>• vf l.enming lind Mtmory. illltl t DepfJrtttlc"rll 4 P$)''·iJ,dJiology. t'ni•wsity ~!(C11IijiJmia, ln·111e, Gllifomia 9~69i-J800. l'S.-\
Extensive evidence from animal and human studies indicates that str~ and glucocorticoids influence cognitive function 1-11• Previous studies have focused exclusively on glucocorticoid effects on acquisition and long-term storage of newly acquired Wormation. Here we report that stress and glucocorticoids also affect memory retrieval We show that rats have impaired performance in a water-maze spatial task after being given footshock 30 min before retention testing but are not impaired when footshock is given 2 min or 4 h before testing. These time-dependent effects on retention performance correspond to the circulating corticoster-
