“Adolescent Brains Aged More Rapidly due to Covid Lockdown”
A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle has revealed that the brains of adolescents, especially girls, have aged more rapidly due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The study compared brain scans of two groups of adolescents, one before the pandemic and one four years later, and found that the second group had undergone a process of thinning of the cortex, indicating an aging of the organ.
The study also found that girls showed a reduction in 35 areas of the brain, particularly those responsible for processing visual information. The reason for this disproportionate effect on girls is attributed to their greater need for and reliance on a social network. The isolation caused by the pandemic had a more harmful effect on the female brain as they are more inclined to peer relationships, crucial for their brain development, according to the study curator Neva Corrigan, a neuroscientist expert in medical imaging.
This effect of social isolation on brain health is not new, as it has been linked with the decline in social relationships in old age. The lockdown during the Covid-19 pandemic had already been identified to have adverse effects on stress and mental health disorders in young people, and now the study highlights the impact on brain health as well.
The study findings are in line with previous research that has shown how exposure to childhood adversities, including violence, abandonment, and family conflicts, is associated with premature aging of the brain. The experts stress that the process is reversible for young people in full development, and a return to a normal and good daily routine is sufficient to rejuvenate the brain.
In conclusion, the study sheds light on the long-term effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the mental and neurological development of adolescents, especially girls, and highlights the importance of addressing the impact of social isolation on brain health in this age group.