Participants Wanted

The Department of Neuropsychology and Psychopharmacology at Maastricht University are recruiting participants for a study that tests the role of stress hormones in intentional forgetting using electroencephalography (EEG).

The study consists of 3 days for a total of 7 hours.

You will be reimbursed with 100 euros for completion of the study

We are searching for healthy MEN & WOMEN. Important! You can only participate if you fulfill the following criteria

• Age between 18 and 35
• BMI between 17.5 - 28
• Native Dutch, English or German speaking
• Females should use of hormonal contraceptives
• NO use of any pharmacological treatment (medication) at time of inclusion (except for hormonal contraceptive for females)
• NO diagnosis of a neurological or cardiac disease
• NO diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder or have been treated by an psychologist in the last 3 years
• Consuming less than 10 glasses alcohol a week
• Smoking less than 10 cigarettes a week
• Using less than 5 times a month drugs
• Willing to eat yoghurt
• Within 25km of Maastricht

Background and Purpose of the study

We can control our recollections by actively trying to remember certain experiences whilst trying to forget others. This is called intentional memory control. Deficits in intentional memory control have been reported in stress-related disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. We need to understand how the healthy brain intentionally controls emotional memories and why it fails under stress.

We will compare the effects of two medicines that block the two stress hormone systems, noradrenaline and cortisol, with a placebo. Thus, there will be 4 groups and you will be randomly allocated to one of the groups. Dietary requirements will also be asked, as food will be provided on the second day of testing.

The test days will look as follows:

On day 1 (±45 min), you will undergo a medical screening, fill-in some

questionnaires and provide a saliva and hair sample.

On day 2 (±1.5 hours), we will record a number of baseline measures and

you will produce descriptions of events you fear for your future.

EEG will be recorded during this day.

On day 3 (±5 hours), you will be administered one of medicines or placebo. You will then be exposed to a demanding situation and thereafter

perform a computer based task. EEG will be recorded during this day.