Teen girls' brains changed rapidly during COVID-19 lockdowns: Study

A new study conducted by researchers at Seattle-based University of Washington has found that adolescent girls experienced accelerated brain aging during COVID-19-related lockdowns. 

The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, measured cortical thinning, which is the natural process of brain development; it was notably faster in girls than boys in scans taken during 2021, when lockdowns started to lift. Researchers concluded that adolescent girls' brains had matured 4.2 years ahead of expectations, with the changes being attributed to social isolation. Boys' brains, meanwhile, matured 1.4 years ahead of expectations.

While cortical thinning is not necessarily harmful, the development process has been linked to stress and other mental health conditions. 

Researchers cautioned that it remains unclear whether these changes are permanent.

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