The lockdowns during the Corona pandemic were undoubtedly an extremely difficult time, especially for children and young people. Numerous Studies have already shown that the time missed at school has not only left large gaps in education. Many children also have psychological problems during the period of isolation, some with symptoms of depression. A new study by researchers at the University of Seattle now provides evidence that the consequences of the lockdown can also be seen in the brain development of young people.
Independent scientists: Results are plausible – but lack evidence
The analysis is based on MRI images of a total of 160 children and adolescents aged 9 to 17, which the researchers had already taken in 2018. From this, the scientists then calculated a model of how brains should develop normally. They then compared this with the data from 130 adolescents three and four years later. The result: the cerebral cortex became thinner during Corona than would have been expected for times without a lockdown. A decrease in the cerebral cortex is normal as people age. However, this happened particularly quickly in the adolescents affected by the lockdowns: in boys by an average of 1.4 years, in girls by as much as 4.5 years.
While the study authors warn that such accelerated brain development could be an indication of neuropsychological problems, independent researchers criticize the evidential value of the study. The observed effect is certainly not unexpected, writes Sofie Valk, head of a research group at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig. However, the study does not really provide evidence. “The study leaves many questions unanswered and cannot substantiate its statements well.”
