Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/230041

Title

Glucose enhancement of recognition memory: differential effects on effortful processing but not aspects of 'remember-know' responses

Author(s)

Scholey, Andrew;  Macpherson, Helen;  Sunram-Lea, Sandra;  Elliott, Jade;  Stough, Con;  Kennedy, David

Abstract

The administration of a glucose drink has been shown to enhance cognitive performance with effect sizes comparable with those from pharmaceutical interventions in human trials. In the memory domain, it is currently debated whether glucose facilitation of performance is due to differential targeting of hippocampal memory or whether task effort is a more important determinant. Using a placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover 2(Drink: glucose/placebo) x 2(Effort: ±secondary task) design, 20 healthy young adults' recognition memory performance was measured using the 'remember-know' procedure. Two high effort conditions (one for each drink) included secondary hand movements during word presentation. A 25 g glucose or 30 mg saccharine (placebo) drink was consumed 10 min prior to the task. The presence of a secondary task resulted in a global impairment of memory function. There were significant Drink x Effort interactions for overall memory accuracy but no differential effects for 'remember' or 'know' responses. These data suggest that, in some circumstances, task effort may be a more important determinant of the glucose facilitation of memory effect than hippocampal mediation. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled 'Cognitive Enhancers'.

Publication type

Journal article

Research centre

Swinburne University of Technology. Faculty of Life and Social Sciences. Centre for Human Psychopharmacology

Source

Neuropharmacology, Vol. 64 (Jan 2013), pp. 544-549

Publication year

2013

FOR Code(s)

1109 Neurosciences;  1115 Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences;  1701 Psychology

Keyword(s)

Familiarity;  Glucose;  Hippocampus;  Mental effort;  Recognition memory;  Recollection

Publisher

Elsevier

ISSN

0028-3908

Publisher URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropharm.2012.06.030

Copyright

Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Research Projects

Glucose facilitation of cognitive function: effects of effort, age and glucose control, Australian Research Council grant number DP1093834

Additional information

The authors acknowledge support from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council grant number BBD0125971.

Peer reviewed