The Effects of Hormonal Contraception on Auditory Emotional Memory

Emotional episodic memory is an important cognitive mechanism that has been extensively studied, however, auditory emotional memory in particular has yet to be thoroughly understood. In addition, sex hormones have been found to affect brain structure and regulate regions of the brain that support higher order cognitive functions. Considering the global usage of oral hormonal contraceptive pills, it is vitally important to investigate the effects of oral contraceptives on executive function, including memory. The aim of the present study was to investigate the extent to which oral contraceptives influence recall for an emotional auditory episodic memory compared to a neutral memory. Participants (N = 90; 45 on an oral contraceptive, 45 naturally cycling) performed a free recall task for an emotional and a neutral auditory story, and their recalls were categorized into gist and detail elements and rated for accuracy. Recall accuracy for an emotional or neutral auditory story was not different between women on oral hormonal contraceptives and women who were naturally cycling, however, both groups of women recalled more information regarding the neutral story compared to the emotional story. These findings inform how the use of hormonal contraceptive pills, combined with high emotional valence, may impact the content and accuracy of recalled episodic events.