Numerous studies have shown the negative academic, social and other effects of the pandemic on children and teens, and now the latest long-term effect appears to be accelerated aging of young brains.
Researchers from the University of Washington studied 160 young people between the ages of 9 and 17. They had collected data in 2018 for a separate study on changes in brain structure during adolescence, but that study was put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“At the start of the pandemic, we began to ask what brain measurements we could use to estimate how pandemic lockdowns have affected the brain,” lead author Neva Corrigan, PhD, a research scientist at the University of Washington, said in a press release.
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“What did it mean for our teenagers to not go to school, not play sports, not go out, and stay home away from their social groups?”
Researchers have found that the pandemic is causing teenagers' brains to age faster than normal.
Numerous studies have documented the negative impact of the pandemic on the mental health of children and teens. (iStock)
“It appears that lifestyle changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns are impacting adolescent brain development, causing the brain to mature much faster than normal,” Corrigan told Fox News Digital in an email.
“This accelerated maturation was more widespread across the brain and to a greater extent in women than in men.”
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On average, young women's brains aged 4.2 years faster than normal, while men's brains aged 1.4 years faster.
The researchers found that women's brains showed accelerated aging in 30 regions, compared with just two regions in men's brains.
The findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on September 9.
Researchers have found that the pandemic is causing teenagers' brains to age faster than normal. (iStock)
The researchers believe the accelerated brain ageing is due to the stress associated with restrictive measures put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19, Corrigan said.
“Previous research has well established that accelerated cortical development during development is associated with chronic stress,” she noted.
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Corrigan said the study highlights the fact that teenagers' brains are highly vulnerable to environmental stressors.
“I encourage parents of teenagers who were teenagers during the pandemic to stay connected with their children and also watch for signs of depression and anxiety, as accelerated cortical thinning increases the risk of developing depression and other neuropsychiatric disorders,” she advised.
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“We also believe parents should be aware that their teens’ social lives are crucial for their brain development. [they should] Encourage healthy activities with peers.”
Corrigan said the findings were “alarming,” but it was unclear whether accelerated ageing would have long-term effects on teenagers' brain development over their lifetimes.
“It is not clear whether the cerebral cortex in these teens who showed accelerated maturation will return to age-appropriate thickness over time or whether these effects are permanent,” she told Fox News Digital.
It's unclear whether accelerated aging will have long-term effects on teenagers' brain development over their lifetimes, the researchers noted. (iStock)
She also noted that “cortical thinning” is a natural process in aging and actually allows the brain to function more efficiently.
“It's not clear that all the consequences of accelerated maturation are negative,” Corrigan added.
Potential limitations
The researchers acknowledged that the study has several limitations, the first of which is the small sample size.
“We collected data from 160 young people before lockdown and 130 young people after lockdown ended, but when doing research the larger the sample size the better,” Corrigan told Fox News Digital.
“What did it mean for our teenagers to not go to school, not play sports, not go out, and stay home away from their social groups?”
“Also, because the study was not originally designed to address the impacts of the COVID pandemic, we did not collect behavioral measurement data that would have allowed us to determine which lockdown-related lifestyle disruptions or stressors were the greatest sources of stress experienced by teenagers,” she said.
Also, because the researchers only studied certain age groups, it is not possible to determine whether the findings apply to other age groups.
On average, young women's brains aged 4.2 years faster than normal, while men's brains aged 1.4 years faster. (iStock)
“Finally, we do not know whether infection with the COVID-19 virus itself contributed to these findings, but we found no reports of gender differences in transmission of the virus in the communities from which our study samples were collected,” Corrigan said.
“Downrange effect”
Dr. Brett Osborne, a Florida neurologist who was not involved in the study, commented on the “detrimental consequences” pandemic-related stress has on teenagers.
“We encourage parents of teenagers who were teenagers during the pandemic to stay connected with their children and also to watch for signs of depression and anxiety,” the researchers said. (iStock)
“High levels of stress are often associated with elevated cortisol levels, which can take a toll on the brain,” he told Fox News Digital.
Cortisol, the body's main stress hormone, is normally released by the adrenal glands during acute stress, but it can be harmful when present in high concentrations for long periods of time, Osborne explained.
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“This chronic hyperglycemia is particularly damaging to brain structures such as the hippocampus (an area associated with memory) and the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for higher cognitive functions such as decision-making and social behavior.”
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According to Osborne, long-term exposure to high levels of cortisol can negatively impact memory, emotional regulation, impulse control, concentration and attention.
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“Over time, these changes may increase susceptibility to mental disorders such as depression and anxiety, which are already known to be exacerbated by high cortisol levels,” he added.
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Overall, Osborne said the study sheds light on “yet another downrange effect” of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The pandemic is over, but this is not the end,” the doctor added.
