Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Covid Stresses Hit Teenagers' Brains, Aging Them Faster Than Normal
The Washington Post: Teen Brains Aged Faster Than Normal From Pandemic Stress, Study Says
The stress of pandemic lockdowns prematurely aged the brains of teenagers by at least three years and in ways similar to changes observed in children who have faced chronic stress and adversity, a study has found. The study, published Thursday in Biological Psychiatry: Global Open Science, was the first to compare scans of the physical structures of teenagers’ brains from before and after the pandemic started, and to document significant differences, said Ian Gotlib, lead author on the paper and a psychology professor at Stanford University. (Lewis, 12/1)
USA Today: During COVID, Teen's Brains Aged Faster From Stress, Study Finds
Scans also showed structural changes in the brain, researchers noted, as well as changes to parts of the brain responsible for memory, concentration, learning, emotion, reactivity and judgment. They found adolescents assessed after the pandemic had larger hippocampal and amygdala volume, and reduced thickness of cortex tissue. The hippocampus and amygdala control access to memories and help modulate emotions, experts say, while cortex tissues involve executive functioning. (Rodriguez, 12/1)
Fox News: Teenage Brains Aged Faster During The Pandemic From Stress, Anxiety: Study
Prior to this study, the researchers said accelerated changes in "brain age" had only been found in children who experienced chronic adversity like violence, neglect, family dysfunction or a combination. (Pritchett, 12/2)
