Retrieval practice prevents stress-induced inference impairment and preserves rapid bridge-related memory reactivation

Retrieval practice enhances neural reactivation of bridge elements, preventing stress-induced impairment in memory inference accuracy and speed in humans.

• Why it matters: Understanding how stress affects memory inference is crucial because stress often impairs cognitive functions, yet the neural mechanisms and potential buffers remain unclear.
• What they did: The study trained participants on interconnected image pairs, induced acute stress in half, and used EEG decoding to measure neural reactivation of bridge elements during inference, comparing stress and non-stress conditions with and without retrieval practice.
• The result: Retrieval practice mitigated stress-related deficits by strengthening neural reactivation signals, especially in theta oscillations, enabling more resilient memory inference under stress conditions.