NEUROCOGNITIVE EFFECTS OF STRESS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: MECHANISMS, CHALLENGES, AND OPPORTUNITIES

Stress is a key modulator of cognition with important consequences for learning and memory, particularly in university students. This systematic review integrates evidence from neuroscience, psychology, and selected theoretical contributions to clarify how acute and chronic stress shape cognitive processes relevant to academic performance. Literature published between 2000 and 2025 was examined using PRISMA-aligned procedures, prioritizing empirical studies while drawing on foundational works to contextualize concepts. Across studies, moderate stress levels may facilitate memory consolidation, whereas intense or prolonged stress is consistently associated with impairments in explicit memory, attention, and prefrontal executive functions. Neurobiologically, stress-related activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and catecholamine release alters synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex. Emotional responses act as mediators: heightened affect can bias encoding and retrieval and may exacerbate affective symptoms that interfere with learning. These findings support resilient environments and stress regulation to protect cognition and improve learning. LAY ABSTRACT: Stress can change how students think, learn, and remember. This review summarizes research from 2000-2025 on how short-term and long-term stress influence attention, memory, and decision-making in university contexts. Moderate stress may sometimes support memory formation, but high or prolonged stress is linked to poorer attention, weaker explicit memory, and reduced executive control. These effects relate to stress hormones and brain changes in the hippocampus, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex. Supporting stress regulation in education may improve learning.