Memory and Information Processing Affected by Isolation

30% of people reported changes in cognition, memory, and problems with information processing as a result of social isolation caused by pandemic lockdowns.

Scientists have discovered the ‘Groundhog Day’ effect of lockdown affects our memory and cognitive ability.

A study on the experience of Italians, who spent their time locked down for about two months last year found an increase in distractions and mind wandering was common.

The study was carried out on 4000 people which revealed that 30 percent of them had experienced some degree of change in their everyday cognition.

Some of the common everyday complications were memory problems, such as where you left your mobile phone, trouble in focusing your attention, and losing focus when trying to read a book or watching something online. Literally starting one job and without noticing, going off and starting a second job without finishing the first one.

Memory and Information Processing: The Impact of Lockdown Isolation on Cognitive Clarity

It was worse for people who had emotional issues, who had depression, or were stressed and anxious, they developed more of these symptoms. But even for those without such disturbances, these cognitive issues were very common.

The study provides information about our everyday memory getting blurred during lockdown because we are living through a sort of Groundhog Day, which in turn makes it harder for our brain to lay down memories and recall them later on.

When the context changes, which it normally does in everyday life when we are moving around throughout the day, then it’s easier to lay down memories and recall them.

During lockdown, movement and engagement in diverse activities were significantly restricted. This limited variability in daily routines and environments.

With minimal changes, days began to blend together, creating a repetitive loop. This monotony contributed to cognitive difficulties and memory issues.

The lack of new contexts made it harder for the brain to differentiate between experiences. This blurred memory and cognitive processing over time.

This makes it difficult for our brain to distinguish between those experiences and that’s one of the reasons why we experience memory fog during lockdown.

Another study of Scotland found that performance was poorer during lockdown, but once restrictions were relaxed, particularly the social isolation, they recovered quite quickly.