1. Hyperactive Dopamine System → Racing Thoughts

• Dopamine is overstimulated in mania, especially in pathways that regulate motivation, reward, and goal-directed thinking.

• This amplifies mental energy, causing the brain to jump rapidly from one idea to the next — often without finishing a thought.

• The result: "flight of ideas" — where thoughts seem to cascade uncontrollably, leading to overwhelming mental speed.

2. Overactivation of the Default Mode and Salience Networks

• The Default Mode Network (DMN), associated with internal thoughts and mind-wandering, becomes overactive in mania.

• The Salience Network, which decides what thoughts or stimuli deserve attention, may malfunction, tagging many irrelevant thoughts as urgent.

• This leads to mental clutter and an inability to filter or slow down cognitive processing.

3. Reduced Prefrontal Cortex Control → Poor Impulse Regulation

• The prefrontal cortex, responsible for impulse control and delaying gratification, is underactive during mania.

• Without this regulatory "brake," individuals become more impatient, unable to tolerate delays or frustration.

• Every thought can feel like it must be acted on immediately — often without reflection.

4. Physiological Overarousal

• Mania often comes with elevated heart rate, decreased need for sleep, and heightened physical energy.

• This state of physiological hyperarousal reinforces the feeling that the mind (and body) must stay in motion — contributing to impatience and urgency.

Cognitive Style of Mania: What It Feels Like

• Thoughts jump topics rapidly — like a mental pinball machine.

• There’s a low tolerance for slow responses (from others or the environment).

• Speech and behavior often become pressured and hurried to keep up with mental speed.

• Waiting, silence, or routine activities can feel intolerably slow or boring.

In Short: