How Stress Affects Cognitive Functioning

For my current project, I'm pulling clips from my virtual training, which is ongoing right now, so I can use them in my at-home study course material. I wanted to share with y'all a sequence of clips that I think are really cool and informative to watch.

Half of the video clips depict me presenting information to my training participants. In one set of clips, I'm experiencing an acute neuroinflammatory flare up. I recall that I taught my DBT Skills group in the morning, using up most of my cognitive resources. My neurological symptoms quickly worsened that afternoon as severe brain fog set in, but I decided to try and push through with teaching my training in the evening. It was a struggle-fest. I ended up having to re-record the content.

In the other half of the clips, a week has passed and the acute episode is over. However, my cortex is still not functioning at 100% and I'm processing information and language with a delay. I have access to most of my previously learned knowledge about the subject I'm discussing, but it takes longer to recall it and longer to process language and speech.

Some quick background for you:

I have ME/CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome) that was triggered over two years ago by a prolonged period of work-related traumatic stress. My condition has improved a lot from where I was in late September 2023, but if I'm experiencing intense emotions or high stress, my ME/CFS will flare up. For me, the neurological deficits are the most impactful and disruptive. Practicing therapy and teaching require all of your higher level cognitive functions to quickly analyze, synthesize, and communicate information.

On to the video!

The first clip that you'll see is me at baseline. This is my normal level of cognitive functioning. Next, you're going to see four short clips. The first clip depicts me teaching while experiencing acute symptoms. The second clip is one week later when I'm re-recording the same material. The third clip shows another snippet where I'm exhibiting symptoms of an acute flare up. The third clip is, again, the same material presented one week later when I re-recorded the content. Interestingly, I did not realize that my processing time and speech were still so slow when I was re-recording the lesson content. It was only when I was pulling these clips together last night that I noticed. At the time or recording, I recognized that my brain was still a little sluggish, but I perceived my cognitive processing to be faster than it actually was.

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If you're listening to the video clips, I've described the descriptive text overlay and the text of title cards below.

(0:00 - 0:08) First audible pause. Explanatory title card that says,

"Baseline functioning. My speech is fluent, information is quickly recalled, and sentences are easily constructed and communicated. My normal rate of speech is moderately fast-paced."

(0:09 - 0:54) Video clip demonstrating my baseline functioning while presenting information during a training. No descriptive text overlay.

(0:55 - 1:03) Second audible pause, after the first video clip. Explanatory title card that says,

"Demonstrating the effects of episodic neuroinflammation caused by traumatic stress-induced Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)."

(1:04 - 2:10) Descriptive text overlaying the first video clip:

"I recall only part of the HPA-Axis model and have difficulty attaching language to thoughts. I do not complete my explanation of the negative feedback loop in the HPA-Axis and I start explaining a different signaling system.

I confuse the process for Epinephrine and Norepiniephrine, despite know the information well. I was not supposed to discuss this until the next image."

(2:10 - 2:19) Second audible pause, after the first video clip. Explanatory title card that says,

"This video was filmed one week later. Neuroinflammation, while still higher than baseline, has significantly decreased. Cognitive functioning shows notable improvement, although some minor challenges with information recall can still be observed."

(2:20 - 4:39) Descriptive text overlaying the second video clip:

"Although my speech is reduced in speed, I am better able to recall previously learned information and vocabulary. I stay on topic, and I effectively interpret the diagrams and present information using understandable language."

(4:40 - 4:48) Third audible pause, after the second video clip. Explanatory title card that says,

"At a later point in the same class, I again struggle with understanding, recalling, and communicating concepts that I know well and have taught for nearly 10 years."

(4:49 - 5:35) Descriptive text overlaying the third video clip:

"I am unable to understand or communicate complex concepts and become very lost in the material. My thoughts and speech are tangential, and I misremember vocabulary.

I also explain the transport process incorrectly and use the wrong terminology. In fact, this information is not at all relevant to the diagram."

(5:36 - 5:44) Fourth audible pause, after the third video clip. Explanatory title card that says,

"This video is from the same reshoot filmed one week later. Although cognitive processing and information recall is still delayed, I now have access to most of my previously learned knowledge on this subject."

(5:45 - 7:38) Descriptive text overlaying the fourth video clip:

"My cognitive processing time is delayed, which is evident in my slow speech and slightly delayed recall. However, the recalled information is accurate and explained correctly and coherently."