Working memory-related frontal theta activity is decreased under acute stress
Abstract
Acute stress impairs prefrontal cortex (PFC) function and has detrimental effects on working memory (WM) performance. Converging evidence from electrophysiological studies suggests a close link between WM processes and frontal theta (FT) activity (4-8 Hz). However, the effect of stress on WM-related FT activity has not been investigated yet. To shed light on this topic we acquired EEG data from 31 healthy male subjects who underwent a stressful and a neutral control condition. In both conditions, they performed an n-back WM task at two different difficulty levels. Our results showed that WM-related FT activity was decreased under stress. Behaviorally, we found performance impairments under stress in the difficult task condition that were related to FT decreases. Increased cortisol levels indicated a successful moderate stress induction. These findings indicate that FT is a potential neurobiological marker for intact PFC functioning during WM and further supports the recently made assumption that FT acts in the PFC to optimize performance.
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Stress-induced impairment of working memory during an N-back task has also been linked to electrophysiological signs of PFC dysfunction: cognitive impairment correlated with reduced PFC theta activity.
“Stress-induced impairment of working memory during an N-back task has also been linked to electrophysiological signs of PFC dysfunction: cognitive impairment correlated with reduced PFC theta activity33.”
From Stress weakens prefrontal networks: molecular insults to higher cognition (2015) · cites this paper as [33]
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MethodSelf-citationAndersen, E. H., Campbell, A. M., Girdler, S., Duffy, K., & Belger, A. (2018) · Clinical Neurophysiology · doi:10.1016/j.clinph.2018.10.019 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
“…activity is proposed to underlie PFC and ACC engagement during working memory, cognitive control and performance monitoring (Gevins et al., 1997; Onton et al., 2005; Gärtner et al., 2014), and these regions have reported functional and structural impairments in SCZ (van der Meer et al., 2014).”
BackgroundInfluentialTaverniers, J., & Suss, J. (2019) · Ergonomics · doi:10.1080/00140139.2019.1626916 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
León-Ariza, H. H., Botero-Rosas, D. A., Sánchez-Jiménez, A., Ramírez-Villada, J. F., & Acero-Mondragón, E. (2017) · Revista de la Facultad de Medicina · doi:10.15446/revfacmed.v65n1.57140 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Sun, J., Long, F., & Wei, H. (2026) · Acta Psychologica · doi:10.1016/j.actpsy.2026.106479 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Guo, Z., Yang, L., Li, Y., Lü, H., Qiu, R., & Zhu, X. (2026) · International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.ijchp.2026.100669 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
“The 3-back condition is a high workload condition (Gaertner et al., 2014), and the beneficial effects of left DLPFC stimulation have been shown to be more pronounced under high WM load conditions in males (Meiron & Lav-idor, 2013).”
Arpaia, P., de Luca, M., Calce, A. D., Carone, G., Castelli, N., Duran, D., Gargiulo, L., Moccaldi, N., Nalin, M., Perin, A., et al. (2024) · 2024 IEEE International Conference on Metrology for eXtended Reality, Artificial Intelligence and Neural Engineering (MetroXRAINE) · doi:10.1109/metroxraine62247.2024.10796852 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
“The decrease in theta bands is associated with stress, while the decrease in delta bands is due to internal concentration caused by attention to the external environment [27], [32].”
Ng, H.-Y. H., Wu, C. W., Huang, F.-Y., Cheng, Y.-T., Guu, S.-F., Huang, C.-M., Hsu, C.-F., Chao, Y.-P., Jung, T., & Chuang, C.-H. (2021) · bioRxiv · doi:10.1101/2021.04.16.439387 · Cited by 1
Klaiber, I., Schönfeldt-Lecuona, C., & Kiefer, M. (2021) · Nervenheilkunde · doi:10.1055/a-1300-3619 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
“In einer Studie [112] wurde die Auswirkung von Stress auf oszillatorische Aktivität untersucht.”
BackgroundInfluentialWang, P.-S., Xie, C., Chen, Y.-X., & Wang, K. (2026) · Physiology and Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2026.115535
Xi, Y., Yi, W., Chen, W.-X., & Wu, J.-H. (2026) · Stress · doi:10.1080/10253890.2026.2720484
Current Studies of EEG Markers of Stress
Bazanova, O. M., & Андреевна, Д. О. (2026) · Human Physiology · doi:10.1134/s0362119726700647
Wang, P., Sun, K., Ye, S., Wu, D., Li, S.-L., Zhao, X., & Xiao, W. (2026) · Brain Science · doi:10.3390/brainsci16050445
Zh, G., Gong, Y., Yang, L., Li, Y., Qiu, R., & Zhu, X. (2026) · Brain and Behavior · doi:10.1002/brb3.71214
Determinants of Subjective States in Combat Aviation
Compierchio, A., Tretten, P., & Illankoon, P. (2025) · Psychology Journal: Research Open · doi:10.31038/psyj.2025712
“Any intense emotional reaction can blur a task activity with a lapse in control [14,15].”
Paul, J., & Rajan, R. (2021) · Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research · doi:10.22159/ajpcr.2022.v15i1.43731
“A stressful condition produces to the excessive production of free radicals, which results in oxidative stress [19].”
BackgroundCheng, P., Tsai, M.-H., Hsueh, C.-H., & Wu, S.-K. (2020) · 2020 International Conference on Pervasive Artificial Intelligence (ICPAI) · doi:10.1109/icpai51961.2020.00019
“After watching a normal movie and a stressful movie, receptively, they performed an n-back working memory (WM) task in both conditions [10].”
MethodInfluences of prenatal and postnatal stress on cognitive function and fear memory consolidation
Nazari, M., Rajabzadeh, H., Dadkhah, M., Boustani, A., & Kor, N. (2015) · Scientific Journal of Animal Science · doi:10.14196/sjbs.v4i8.2076
The neural replay mechanisms of episodic memory consolidation under stress in humans
Liu, W., Chen, R.-X., & Guo, J.-P. (2024) · Advances in Psychological Science · doi:10.3724/sp.j.1042.2024.01031
The Influence of Emotional States on Memory-related Information Processing
Gärtner, M. (2015) · doi:10.17169/refubium-16103
“The mental arithmetic task was followed by two other tasks, one of which is reported in Gaertner et al. (2014).”
BackgroundMethodResultInfluentialSelf-citation
- Authors
- Gärtner, M., Rohde-Liebenau, L., Grimm, S., & Bajbouj, M.
- Affiliations
- Freie Universität Berlin (DE)
- University of Zurich (CH)
- Venue
- Psychoneuroendocrinology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2014-05
- Volume
- 43
- Pages
- 105-113
- ISSN
- 0306-4530 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2115138059
- Cited by
- 103
- References
- 56
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 2
- FWCI
- 3.72
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychoneuroendocrinology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural dynamics and brain function
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Keywords
- acute stress, working memory, frontal theta activity, prefrontal cortex, n-back task, cortisol, stress-induced cognitive impairment, EEG biomarkers, stress induction
- MeSH terms
- Acute Disease, Adult, Electroencephalography, Frontal Lobe, Humans, Hydrocortisone, Male, Memory, Short-Term, Middle Aged, Psychomotor Performance, Stress, Psychological, Young Adult
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