Ongoing media coverage and public outcry among many upsetting incidents across our country have sparked rage, anger, sadness, and action across not only our country but the world. Conversations around stereotypes and biases within ourselves and the justice system, against individuals of color, have been building and growing. From George Floyd to Breonna Taylor, and more, psychology is an important topic within the discussion on racial inequality and racial biases in America. 

While the media constantly covers the numerous physical consequences of discrimination and racial profiling within communities, little media coverage is given to the cognitive consequences of these acts. Pascoe & Richman (2009) found that those who believe themselves to be discriminated against, see negative impacts on both their mental and physical wellbeing, as well as heightened responses when experiencing stress.

So What’s The Research Behind This?

Landfield and Sapolsky found that stress results in a loss of neurons in areas of the brain, like the hippocampus, that is involved in learning and memory (1979). Researchers have reported that ongoing or chronic exposure to stress can lead to chronic hyperarousal (e.g. easily startled, jumpy, hypervigilant) – all of which are symptoms related to PTSD (SAMHSA, 2014).

Another study by Chetty and colleagues (2014) noted that chronic stress creates long-standing structural changes in the brain. Chronic stress and increased cortisol lead to increased production in “protector” cells that protect neurons. This might sound good, however, this leads to a decrease in the development of stem cells that grow into neurons, meaning fewer neurons going to the hippocampus to help with learning and memory (SAMSHA, 2014). While we know the research surrounding chronic stress and its impact on the brain, limited research exists around the impact of chronic race-related stressors on brain health. 

Research has previously shown that race-related anxiety around the negative judgment of performance and discrimination, is associated with lower cognitive performance among Black individuals (Thames, 2014). This means that attention, working memory, learning, memory, and executive functioning are all impacted (Thames, 2014). Thus, at times test performance may not represent brain functioning amongst ethnic or racial groups, it is more race-related anxiety around performance. 

So Why Does Stress Impact the Brain So Much?

Great question, we don’t really know. However, research is beginning to highlight that individuals of color are at greater risk for poor cognitive outcomes due to stressors related to self-identified race. ethnicity, and stress-related to discrimination (Williams, 2018). With all this being said, this means mental health professionals, teachers, doctors, really any layperson, needs to work to end racial inequality as its impact on individuals and large groups.

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