(ORDO NEWS) — The brains of teenagers who survived the coronavirus pandemic show signs of premature aging, scientists said after comparing MRI scans of US teenagers before and after the pandemic.
After matching, the team found that the physical changes in the brain that occur during adolescence – such as thinning of the cerebral cortex and growth of the hippocampus and amygdala – were greater in the group measured after the lockdowns than in the group studied before the pandemic, suggesting that these processes have accelerated. Yes, their brains are aging faster
“The difference in brain age was about three years – we didn’t expect that much of an increase given that the lockdown lasted less than a year,” said Ian Gottlieb, professor of psychology at Stanford University and first author of the study.
“In older people, these brain changes are often associated with cognitive decline. It’s not yet clear what they mean in adolescents.”
Among other things, a pre-pandemic group of adolescents reported more severe mental health difficulties, including more severe symptoms of anxiety, depression, and internalization problems.
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