Published on: 4/28/2025
The most common cause of difficulty with mental processing is stress, which decreases the amount of energy given to the brain for its basic function. Some medical issues like ADHD, dementia, brain injuries, and mental health conditions can also make it hard for your brain to process information.
Your brain might run into trouble when conditions affect your ability to think and learn. Some conditions include attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which can slow down how fast you take in and work with new information. Older adults might face challenges from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, where memory and thinking skills become slower over time. As noted above, stress is one of the biggest culprits, along with lack of sleep or proper nutrition. Mental health issues like depression or anxiety can also affect how quickly your brain processes details, making it hard to concentrate or make decisions. Additionally, injuries to your brain—like from a fall or a stroke—can interfere with the delicate networks that process information. All these conditions might change how your brain works, showing that brain health is very important. If you or someone you know is having difficulties, it is a good idea to talk to a healthcare professional for more help and proper care.
(References)
Wang Y, Pan Y, Li H. What is brain health and why is it important? BMJ. 2020 Oct 9;371:m3683. doi: 10.1136/bmj.m3683. PMID: 33037002; PMCID: PMC7555053.
Kibby MY, Vadnais SA, Jagger-Rickels AC. Which components of processing speed are affected in ADHD subtypes? Child Neuropsychol. 2019 Oct;25(7):964-979. doi: 10.1080/09297049.2018.1556625. Epub 2018 Dec 18. PMID: 30558479; PMCID: PMC6581645.
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