The COVID-19 pandemic may be over, but its lingering effects on teenagers are still being uncovered. A recent study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, has added to the growing body of evidence suggesting that the social restrictions imposed during lockdowns had a disproportionate impact on adolescents.
The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Washington’s Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences (I-LABS), analyzed MRI scans of 160 teenagers aged 9 to 17. The scans revealed that the brains of both boys and girls showed signs of accelerated ageing, but the effects were significantly more pronounced in girls. On average, the brains of girls appeared 4.2 years older than expected, while boys’ brains were only 1.4 years older.
These findings have raised concerns about the potential impact of accelerated brain ageing on teenage mental health and learning ability. Lead researcher Patricia Kuhl, co-director of I-LABS, expressed alarm at the dramatic difference in brain ageing between the genders.
The study’s focus shifted to examining the pandemic’s influence on teenage brain structure due to the delayed follow-up scans caused by the 2020 lockdowns. The researchers found that the thinning of the cerebral cortex, a natural process that occurs during adolescence, was accelerated in teenagers following the pandemic. Notably, this accelerated thinning was observed in 30 regions of the brain for girls, compared to only two regions for boys.
The researchers highlight the potential implications of these findings for a range of cognitive functions, including language understanding, facial expression interpretation, and emotional processing, which are crucial for social interaction and communication.
While the study’s authors acknowledge that further research is needed to determine the long-term effects of accelerated brain ageing on cognitive function, they emphasize the importance of recognizing the ongoing impact of the pandemic on teenagers.
Kuhl urges parents to have open conversations with their teenagers about their experiences during the pandemic, recognizing the need to provide support and understanding. She encourages parents to engage with their teenagers through activities like coffee dates, walks, or simply initiating conversations, to help them cope with the lingering effects of the pandemic.
The findings of this study serve as a crucial reminder of the resilience and vulnerability of the teenage brain. They underscore the importance of providing teenagers with the support they need to navigate the challenges of post-pandemic life and ensure their well-being.
