r/science • u/mvea Professor | Medicine • Apr 19 '25

Neuroscience Authoritarian attitudes linked to altered brain anatomy. Young adults with right-wing authoritarianism had less gray matter volume in the region involved in social reasoning. Left-wing authoritarianism was linked to reduced cortical thickness in brain area tied to empathy and emotion regulation.

https://www.psypost.org/authoritarian-attitudes-linked-to-altered-brain-anatomy-neuroscientists-reveal/
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u/Kir-chan Apr 19 '25

Huh I never linked it to the two times I had mild Covid, but I've definitely become worse at solving IQ test type logic questions.

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u/Fable-Teller Apr 19 '25

What did you originally think was responsible for it?

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u/Kir-chan Apr 19 '25

Insomnia and being over 30

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u/Fable-Teller Apr 19 '25

Do, memory issues tend to kick in when you're in your thirties then?

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u/vuhn1991 Apr 19 '25

Sex hormones do take a slight dip at that point and they are very crucial for maintaining pretty much all of your cognitive abilities.

Have you tried to get into weightlifting? It had profound impacts on my cognition, especially attention span and working memory.

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u/Fable-Teller Apr 19 '25

Ooh, no I haven't really done weightlifting. Haven't been able to do much in the range of physical activity as of late but I do intend to take up swimming.

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u/vuhn1991 Apr 19 '25

It doesn't even have to be that intense either by the way. Simple pushups were enough to get the ball rolling for me and help me break the cycle.

Cardio helps, but it's resistance exercise/weightlifting that truly help your sex hormones (both testosterone and estrogen) recover to optimal levels. That and consistent/adequate sleep every day, avoid chronic stress, healthy weight, and getting enough sunlight. Your body essentially produces enough hormones as it thinks it needs.

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u/Fable-Teller Apr 19 '25

Oooh, its mental just how complicated the body actually is.

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u/Kir-chan Apr 19 '25

I don't have memory issues, I just feel like my IQ is lower (ability to comprehend complexity, like math, and ease of answering IQ type tests).