Date of Award

Spring 2020

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science

Major

Neuroscience

First Advisor

Sarah Raskin

Second Advisor

Chris Swart

Abstract

Time-based prospective memory (TBPM) is the ability to remember to perform an action at a specific point in time. During a stressful day, one usually encounters many instances where TBPM is required. The objective of this project was to see if acute stress (situational) has an effect upon TBPM. Trinity College undergraduates ages 18-22 were used in this study. The Socially Evaluated Cold Pressor Test (SECPT) was performed to induce acute stress and raise cortisol levels in participants. Each participant had an electroencephalogram recording collected during a computer-generated TBPM Paradigm. The resulting data were analyzed within group as well as compared to nonstressed students. Comparing the groups, there was a significant increase in response time on TBPM tasks. Additionally, comparisons of simple event related potentials recorded from 0-900 milliseconds post ongoing task response between control and stress groups indicated significant differences in frontal electrodes (FP1, F1). To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the electrophysiological correlates of TBPM in response to acute stress.

Comments

Senior thesis completed at Trinity College, Hartford, CT for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience.

Download

Share

COinS