Impact of Social Isolation on Adolescent Brain Development
A recent study examining adolescent brain development has revealed significant findings regarding the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns on children in the United States. Conducted by researchers at the University of Washington, the study indicates that girls’ brains aged more rapidly than anticipated, a phenomenon the researchers attribute to the social isolation experienced during this period.
Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, this research focused on measuring cortical thinning—a process that typically begins in late childhood or early adolescence. During this phase, the brain undergoes a maturation process, pruning redundant synapses and reducing the thickness of its outer layer. While cortical thinning is not inherently negative, as it can indicate the brain’s reorganization and increased efficiency, it is known to accelerate under stressful conditions. This accelerated thinning has been linked to increased risks of depression and anxiety.
Brain scans collected in 2021, following the easing of lockdown restrictions, revealed that both boys and girls experienced rapid cortical thinning during the pandemic. However, the impact was significantly more pronounced in girls, whose cortical thinning had accelerated by an average of 4.2 years beyond what was expected. In contrast, boys exhibited an acceleration of only 1.4 years ahead of expected rates.
“This is a remarkable difference,” stated Patricia K. Kuhl, director of the Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences at the University of Washington and a co-author of the study. She further explained that “a girl who entered the study at age 11 and returned at age 14 now demonstrates brain characteristics akin to those of an 18-year-old.”
Dr. Kuhl emphasized that this significant change can be attributed to the “social deprivation caused by the pandemic.” She posits that adolescent girls may have been particularly affected due to their heightened reliance on social interactions—especially discussions with friends—as a means of coping with stress.
