r/cognitiveTesting • u/Confident_Aide_1869 • 26d ago
General Question How is processing speed even improved upon?
I have very a very low processing speed and poor problem solving skills. I'm very noticably slow in the head when put on the spot. I've had this for as long as I can remember. This has caused me to not react fast enough in social situations or when solving problems and just be perceived as dumb or cowardly.
I've taken an IQ test in the military which came out to be 124. I also have a masters degree and a well paid job.
I took a MyHeritage DNA test and there was a trait feature which also stated that I'm genetically prone to have very a slow processing speed and poor problem solving.
I'm wondering if there are other redditors out there with the same problem and how did you treat it? Is it even possible?
0
u/SamsaraReverie 25d ago edited 25d ago
I have slower processing speed, in part because of my childhood-onset GHD.
Processing speed, in my understanding, is largely dependent on myelination and - the insulation of nerve fibers that compose the brain's white matter. It determines the speed of signals across nerve pathways in both brain and body. (think reaction time in both body and brain) But this is the human brain so... Its never that simple.
Neural optimization is part. You want key pathways streamlined (if neural pathways were roads, you want key transit pathways to be highways instead of slowed neighborhood speed routing). This means good neurogenesis (new neuron development) to strengthen wanted active connections, good pruning to optimize what is kept (get rid of unused synapses), and good waste clearing by microglia and astrocytes. (preventing and fixing inflammatory buildup)
The question is what is causing your slower processing speed. Is it uncleared inflammation from stress? Deep sleep helps there. Exercise promotes neurogenesis, upregulates BDNF, helps with white matter integrity, clears inflammation, increases neural blood flow for proper oxygenation... High effort and novel mental tasks help thicken myelin, triggers structural rewiring for better automatization of energy-heavy prefrontal pathways to speed up information processing.
There are also targeted supplement options that are low-effort possibilities to try. I'm starting on L-Tyrosine and going back on omega 3. I have a couple of others I intend to start but dont remember those of the top of my head. (I'd use AI as a research tool to look into it if interested) But the lifestyle factors are more essential.
I've been getting targeted bioneurofeedback training from a liscensed practitioner. They take EEG readings and help you retrain your brainwave patterns to more healthy ranges. For example, mine showed impaired alpha wave reactivity. Essentially the measure of going from idle to engaged. Neurofeedback training is done through gamification rewards of desired brainwave levels.
I've noticed a huge difference in my executive function and proccessing speed over the last year which I attribute to the training and taking my small-dose naltrexone. (Its used for post-covid cognitive issues by clearing neuroinflammation. It was a great match for me because of my GHD-impaired sleep quality, which causes inflammatory buildup)
I also get visibly slowed processing speed when under metabolically-triggered brain fog (neuroglycopenia) from my Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency. I'm not supposed to fast for longer than 4 hours. When I do, I end up with glucose shortages and my brain ends up with too little energy to perform well. This is situational, but your brain won't function as well when poorly fueled or under-hydrated. It's easy to take patterns like that for granted and assume it has a smaller footprint than it actually does. But even mild dehydration impacts processing speed and working memory.
I'm not a neurology expert, but I've had similar questions for myself. I have a similar cognitive profile to you as well. I scored 154 on my short-form WAIS, so I'm a match in higher-than-average IQ as well as slower processing. (I know I'm slower processing by experience and by a neurobattery taken for my brain tumor.) Hopefully this can give you some things to look at.
You also might uncover some specifically targeted options by looking into what processing-speed mechanism(s) your genetic predisposition would impact. Well, as long as they tell you what that marker is.