From Waking to Emotion: The Cortisol Awakening Response and Autobiographical Memory Specificity Relationship Depends on the Cue Valence

Autobiographical memory (AM) supports self-continuity and emotional well-being. AM specificity, the ability to retrieve memories tied to a distinct time and place, is a key marker of psychological functioning. Autobiographical retrieval is shaped by both emotional and biological factors: positive emotional cues typically elicit more specific memories than negative ones, while neuroendocrine processes involved in daily adaptation may also modulate remembering. In this context, the Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR), a rapid increase in cortisol after awakening, is thought to mobilize cognitive and emotional resources. This study examined whether cue valence (positive, negative, neutral) is related to AM specificity in healthy older adults and whether this effect depends on the CAR. Sixty-three participants aged 57-88 years completed the Autobiographical Memory Test and provided saliva samples on two consecutive weekdays. Positive cues elicited a higher proportion of specific memories than neutral or negative cues. Although the CAR was not associated with overall AM specificity, its association with AM specificity differed by cue valence, with a significant difference between negative and neutral cues. These findings suggest that anticipatory endocrine activity may be differentially related to autobiographical retrieval depending on the emotional valence of the cue.