Environmental factors can really affect how our brains learn and adapt.

Negative Influences:

• When we are in stressful places, our bodies make a hormone called cortisol. Too much cortisol can hurt an important part of the brain called the hippocampus, which helps with memory.
• If there isn’t enough mental stimulation—like puzzles, games, or even conversations—our brain connections can become weaker, making it harder to learn new things.
• Problems like poverty can lead to lower cognitive skills and fewer chances for education.

Potential Solutions:

• Making sure we have supportive and engaging environments can help our brains stay flexible and ready to learn.
• Regularly challenging our minds and bodies with activities can help create healthier brain connections.
• Building community support and providing access to helpful resources can lessen some of the negative effects.

In the end, if we don’t tackle these issues, it will be very hard to improve learning and memory.