{"id":5577,"date":"2024-09-18T09:00:56","date_gmt":"2024-09-18T13:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/dailycupofwellness\/?p=5577"},"modified":"2024-09-18T09:00:56","modified_gmt":"2024-09-18T13:00:56","slug":"shocking-report-shows-pandemic-restrictions-may-have-aged-teens-brains","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/dailycupofwellness\/2024\/09\/shocking-report-shows-pandemic-restrictions-may-have-aged-teens-brains.html","title":{"rendered":"Shocking Report Shows Pandemic Restrictions May Have Aged Teens\u2019 Brains"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Researchers from the University of Washington have revealed \u201calarming\u201d results of a study that noted the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on teenagers\u2019 brains. The study looked at 160 people aged 9 to 17 in 2018, with the intention of studying brain changes through adolescence. However, when the pandemic disrupted the study in 2020, when researchers returned to the subjects in 2021, they found \u201cstunning difference,\u201d according to<\/a> Patricia K. Kuhl, study co-author.<\/p>\n

The researchers had found that the teens\u2019 cerebral cortexes had thinned at a much more rapid pace than normal, a typical sign of aging. Chronic stress can also be a cause of such accelerated thinning and can by tied to anxiety and depression. The study found that on average, boys\u2019 brains accelerated at a rate of 1.4 years, while girls\u2019 accelerated at a much faster rate of 4.2 years. \u201cWe know that in adult women with anorexia nervosa, cortical atrophy or brain thinning correlates with starvation,\u201d said Dr. Ellen S. Rome, head of Cleveland Clinic\u2019s Center for Adolescent Medicine. \u201cWe saw such a rise of disordered eating in the pandemic and beyond; future research can help tease out whether this study reflects that increase in eating disorders in girls during the pandemic versus some other factors,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

The study\u2019s lead author, Neva Corrigan, Ph.D., stated the data<\/a> is a red flag for parents. \u201cWe recommend that parents of children who were teens during the pandemic stay connected to their teens, and also look out for signs of depression and anxiety, as accelerated cortical thinning increases the risk of developing these and other neuropsychiatric disorders.\u201d The findings also highlight the importance of social connections for teens and their development. Corrigan noted that it is unclear if the findings indicate any long-term impact on teens. \u201cIt is not clear whether the cerebral cortex of these teens that showed accelerated maturation will return to a thickness that is more appropriate for their age with time, or whether these effects are permanent.\u201d A bigger sample size would help, as well as noting if contracting COVID-19 might have had any impact.<\/p>\n

Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurologist not involved with the study, noted how the increased stress levels could indicate worse mental health levels in the future. \u201cOver time, these changes may predispose individuals to mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety, which are already known to be exacerbated by high cortisol levels,\u201d he said. \u201cWhile the pandemic is over, this is not the end.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Researchers from the University of Washington have revealed \u201calarming\u201d results of a study that noted the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on teenagers\u2019 brains. The study looked at 160 people aged 9 to 17 in 2018, with the intention of studying brain changes through adolescence. However, when the pandemic disrupted the study in 2020, when researchers…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":627,"featured_media":5574,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5577","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nShocking Report Shows Pandemic Restrictions May Have Aged Teens\u2019 Brains<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/dailycupofwellness\/2024\/09\/shocking-report-shows-pandemic-restrictions-may-have-aged-teens-brains.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Shocking Report Shows Pandemic Restrictions May Have Aged Teens\u2019 Brains\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Researchers from the University of Washington have revealed \u201calarming\u201d results of a study that noted the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on teenagers\u2019 brains. The study looked at 160 people aged 9 to 17 in 2018, with the intention of studying brain changes through adolescence. 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