What effect does chronic stress have on sensory processing?

Chronic stress significantly heightens reactivity to sensory inputs. When an individual experiences prolonged stress, the body enters a state of heightened alertness due to the activation of the stress response system. This heightened state can amplify the sensitivity to environmental stimuli, making a person more aware of sounds, sights, and other sensory information that they might typically filter out.

This increased reactivity can be understood in the context of the body’s fight-or-flight response, where the brain prioritizes sensory input as potential threats, causing an individual to react more strongly to stimuli. Such reactivity can lead to overstimulation and may negatively impact focus and cognitive functioning, as the brain becomes less effective at filtering out irrelevant sensory information.

In contrast, other options suggest improvements or enhancements that are generally not supported by findings in stress research. Chronic stress is more likely to lead to cognitive overload rather than clarity, decrease tolerance for sensory input rather than increase it, and slow down decision-making due to overwhelming stimuli. Understanding this mechanism is crucial for recognizing how chronic stress can alter sensory processing and impact daily functioning.