The Neurobiology of Political Breakdown: Cognitive Overload as a Driver of Democratic Dysfunction

Prevailing analyses of political polarization often frame the phenomenon as a moral or sociological failing. This paper proposes an alternative, neurobiological framework, arguing that escalating political extremism is a predictable consequence of widespread cognitive overload. By synthesizing findings from neuroendocrinology, cognitive psychology, and political economy, we posit a causal mechanism wherein chronic stressors—stemming from economic precarity and digital information saturation—induce a metabolic shift in cognitive function. Heightened levels of stress hormones, such as cortisol, are shown to impair the executive functions of the prefrontal cortex while amplifying the threat-detection and binary response patterns of the amygdala. This neurological state creates a potent bias toward simplistic, ideologically rigid narratives, which are biochemically reinforced by the brain's dopaminergic reward system. The paper further argues that these innate biological vulnerabilities are systematically exacerbated by socioeconomic inequality and the algorithmic architecture of modern social media. We conclude that the cognitive capacity for nuanced democratic deliberation is not a constant but a biologically contingent state. Therefore, effective interventions must transcend moral exhortationto address the root structural drivers of cognitive stress, thereby restoring the neurological conditions necessary for a functioning democracy.Keywords: Political Polarization, Neuroscience, Cognitive Overload, Stress Hormones, Cortisol, Prefrontal Cortex, Amygdala, Dopamine, Democracy, Social Media, Cognitive Inequality