Effect of the Cold Pressor Test on Memory and Cognitive Flexibility

Abstract

Cognitive flexibility is affected by stress. The cold pressor test is a known adrenergic stressor that impairs memory, but the effect on cognitive flexibility is unknown. Sixteen subjects were given cognitive flexibility and memory tasks with and without one hand immersed in cold water. Memory was impaired in the cold pressor condition but there was no effect on cognitive flexibility. The lack of a cold pressor effect on cognitive flexibility may result from an isolated effect on the peripheral noradrenergic system, whereas indirect effects due to nociception on memory may occur.

Keywords:

• Cognitive flexibility
• pain
• stress
• noradrenergic
• memory

This research was funded in part by grants from NIDA (R21 DA015734) and NINDS (K23 NS43222) (DQB). Portions of this research were presented at the Cognitive Neuroscience Society, 2003. Kelly Ishizuka was funded by the Roessler Scholarship Fund of Ohio State University.