Memory for non-painful auditory items is influenced by whether they are experienced in a context involving painful electrical stimulation

Abstract

Abstract:In this study, we sought to examine the effect of pain on memory. Subjects heard a series of words and made categorization decisions in two different contexts. One context included painful shocks administered just after presentation of some of the words; the other context involved no shocks. For the context that included painful stimulations, every other word was followed by a shock and subjects were informed to expect this pattern. Word lists were repeated three times within each context in randomized order, with different category judgments but consistent pain-word pairings. After a brief delay, recognition memory was assessed. Non-pain words from the pain context were less strongly encoded than non-pain words from the completely pain-free context. An important accompanying finding is that response times to repeated experimental items were slower for non-pain words from the pain context, compared to non-pain words from the completely pain-free context. This demonstrates that the effect of pain on memory may generalize to non-pain items experienced in the same experimental context. Introduction:The experience of acute somatic pain is often memorable. Aside from the memory of pain itself, noxious stimuli can affect learning and memory in several important ways. Brief painful experiences can enhance learning. After touching a hot stove, for example, an individual typically forms strong memories of the experience and learns to avoid this behavior in the future. However, the relationship between pain and memory is nuanced, and everyday examples of pain impairing memory are also common. Protracted pain can interfere with concentration and the ability to recall specific details of events that occur, for example, during a severe headache. Thus, the effect of pain on memory may depend on the context in which encoding occurs. Despite how commonplace such experiences are, empirical evidence quantifying pain's effect on memory is limited.