Effects of acute hydrocortisone administration on declarative memory in patients with major depressive disorder: a placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover study.
Major depressive disorder (MDD) has been associated with hypercortisolism, reduced glucocorticoid feedback sensitivity, and impaired memory function. In healthy subjects, administration of hydrocortisone impairs declarative memory. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of acute hydrocortisone administration on memory retrieval in MDD patients and healthy controls. We further tested whether the enhancing or impairing effects of hydrocortisone would prevail when it was given after encoding and when delayed retrieval was tested at a time point when glucocorticoid levels were still elevated.
Major depressive disorder (MDD) has been associated with hypercortisolism, reduced glucocorticoid feedback sensitivity, and impaired memory function. In healthy subjects, administration of hydrocortisone impairs declarative memory. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of acute hydrocortisone administration on memory retrieval in MDD patients and healthy controls. We further tested whether the enhancing or impairing effects of hydrocortisone would prevail when it was given after encoding and when delayed retrieval was tested at a time point when glucocorticoid levels were still elevated.