Exploring 'Aleppo Moments': The Science Behind Mental Blocks Under Stress

Gary Johnson faces a tough challenge. Despite his presidential aspirations, he often finds himself stumbling under pressure, leaving him speechless and unsure when the cameras focus on him.

The term 'brain fart' is often used to describe Johnson's mental hiccups. Others might refer to these moments as 'brain freezes,' especially when discussing the Libertarian presidential candidate.

The first incident happened during a televised interview when Johnson failed to recognize a key city in conflict-ridden Syria. ("Aleppo? What is Aleppo?") The second occurred weeks later when he struggled to name a single foreign leader he admired, drawing a complete blank.

A major mental lapse.

(We’ll continue using the more colloquial term to avoid confusion with the unrelated concept of brain freeze.)

Johnson’s cognitive slip-ups—yes, we’ll call them brain farts—were shocking and deeply awkward, but they weren’t entirely unique. Rick Perry, the ex-governor of Texas, experienced a similar moment during a 2011 debate. Herman Cain, another candidate, faced the same issue that year. Even former Arizona governor Jan Brewer had a notably prolonged and cringe-worthy moment on live television in 2010.

This has occurred to beauty pageant contestants as well. Multiple times, in fact.

And let’s be honest—it’s likely happened to you, too.

What’s really happening here?

"This is a fascinating phenomenon," explains Seth Norrholm, an assistant professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Emory University School of Medicine. "It involves a disruption in retrieving information from memory. To understand it, we need to consider factors like how effectively the information was initially encoded—essentially, how well it was learned."

That’s one theory. Various studies, both recent and older, shed light on what might occur during a mental lapse. Scientists have long recognized that stress can interfere with cognitive functions. Erno Hermans, a cognitive and affective neuroscience expert at the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour in the Netherlands, explained this in the introduction to a 2011 study published in the journal Science:

The emphasis (ours) highlights how slow, deliberate thinking—such as during a debate, answering judges at a beauty pageant, or meeting your in-laws for the first time—gets disrupted under stress. This is a well-documented chemical reaction in the brain.

This phenomenon is tied to the "fight or flight" response. Evolutionarily, when faced with a stressful situation ("Is that bear going to attack me?"), the brain often prioritizes action over thought ("Run!").

Johnson’s brain, overwhelmed by the stress of the interview, essentially decided: Forget this. We’re done here.

"This is a key area of research for us at Emory," says Norrholm. "Whether stress and anxiety come from internal or external sources, they can significantly affect memory recall."

"Imagine you’re giving a presentation, and the college dean is in the audience. This triggers a physiological response—your heart races, your palms sweat, and your breathing changes. Suddenly, your focus shifts away from your prepared content. It’s a classic fight or flight reaction, your body’s alarm system signaling danger."

Age might also play a role, as suggested by a 2014 study from the University of Iowa, particularly if prolonged stress has released hormones that impact brain function over time. However, short-term stressors—like presentations, debates, pageants, or even the intense gaze of in-laws across the dinner table—can also trigger these mental lapses.

Sleep deprivation might also contribute to the issue, as noted in another study. Regardless of the cause, everyone experiences mental lapses from time to time.

It’s Not Unexpected

Following Johnson’s initial mental lapse, he was questioned about his thought process—or rather, the lack thereof. He explained that, at the time, he believed Aleppo was an acronym.

This isn’t entirely unreasonable, according to Norrholm.

"During an interview, with cameras and lights focused on you, your perception might differ from that of the host or moderator. You’re tense and stressed," Norrholm explains. "It’s entirely plausible that, in the heat of the moment, with his mind racing and feeling the pressure, he interpreted Aleppo as an acronym rather than a city in Syria."

Perhaps we should cut Gary Johnson some slack and focus on scrutinizing the errors made by other candidates instead.