psychology
That’s why stress damages our intelligence
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Chronic stress can make us sick and unhappy. But in fact it can also make us dumber. This is how prolonged stress affects our brain – and thus our intelligence.
Have you ever had the feeling that you become less focused during stressful times in your life? That you forget things more quickly than usual? This is actually a pretty common reaction to persistent Stress that we often don’t pay enough attention to.
Science deals a lot with which factors influence our intelligence and whether and how we can perhaps even become smarter. But one important factor is often underestimated: strong mental stress. Because stress, especially chronic stress, not only affects our well-being, but also influences the parts of our brain that are responsible for its performance.
This is how stress affects our brain
For one thing, overload can destroy neurons in our brain, especially those that have just recently formed. On the other hand, it inhibits the production of new neurons in the hippocampus, one of the regions of our brain that is associated with memory and learning.
When we are stressed, we release cortisol and adrenaline, among other things – an important function because in the short term this gives us a brain boost and more energy. This meant that our ancestors were able to react quickly in suddenly dangerous situations and either flee or fight. However, if we are constantly under stress, we also constantly release cortisol. This can include, among other things, the production of Glutamate stimulate. Glutamate is a neurotransmitter that plays an important role in mood regulation and our memory – but too much glutamate can damage or even kill our brain cells.
In addition, stress can also shrink our brains, especially in areas related to emotional regulation, metabolism and memory. The excess cortisol caused by chronic stress can therefore also worsen our cognitive performance and our memory – one could study show.
Above all, the US neuroscientist Dr. Bruce S. McEwen, who died in 2020, was able to show in his research how much stress affects our brain and its performance. In numerous Studiesespecially with mice and rats, the brain researcher was able to demonstrate how stress hormones can weaken our brain when exposed to chronic stress.
Chronic mental stress can reduce brain performance
And it’s not necessarily just about major changes in our lives or very stressful individual situations, such as a separation or job loss. Rather, it is increased everyday stress that affects our brain over a longer period of time and can therefore also reduce our intelligence. And in addition to an overcrowded schedule and a seemingly never-ending to-do list, this also includes ruminations, fears and worries. When it comes to fear and stress, our brain cannot distinguish whether it is a real danger – such as a saber-toothed tiger that threatened a person in the Stone Age – or whether it is a mental game that puts us on alert.
So if you feel like you’re forgetting things more quickly and somehow thinking slower than usual, there could be ongoing stress behind it. How stressed do you feel? How much of the burden of everyday life – keyword mental load – lies on your shoulders? What are you worrying about too much? Not only does chronic stress damage our mental and physical health, it can actually make us stupider.
Sources used: verywellmind.com, nytimes.com, nzz.ch