Brain Structure Changes In People Who Work Long Hours

If you’re looking for a reason to shut down your laptop for the weekend or cut back on overtime, here’s some scientific insight: working long hours can actually alter areas of the brain that are responsible for emotional regulation, working memory, and problem-solving. While the physical and mental toll of overworking is well known, the specific neurological effects have not been fully understood until now.

Study Design and Methodology

An international research team, which included scientists from Korea’s Chung-Ang University, studied 110 healthcare professionals. Of these, 32 worked excessive hours (52 or more per week), while 78 worked fewer than 52 hours weekly, a more typical schedule. The team applied voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to analyze gray matter and used atlas-based analysis to examine MRI scans of the participants’ brains, identifying differences in volume and connectivity.

After adjusting for age and gender, the scientists found significant changes in brain volume in 17 regions of the brains of those who worked long hours. These regions included the middle frontal gyrus (MFG), the insula, and the superior temporal gyrus (STG). Specifically, the atlas-based analysis revealed a 19% increase in the left caudal MFG in overworked individuals. The MFG is involved in executive functions like emotional regulation, working memory, attention, and planning. The STG is primarily responsible for auditory and language processing, while the insula plays a key role in pain processing and sensory signals.

This research sheds light on how extended work hours can impact mental health, contributing to behaviors such as the onset of depressive symptoms.It provides evidence of physical changes in brain structure, though researchers need to conduct further studies to determine causality. This study, being comparative, suggests a link rather than proving direct cause and effect.Additionally, the study only examined healthcare workers, which limits the findings, and it does not include long-term data or account for other influencing factors.

Next Steps and Long-Term Impact

The researchers noted that, while they should interpret the results with caution due to the exploratory nature of this pilot study, the results mark an important first step in understanding how overwork affects brain health. “The changes observed in brain volume may help explain the cognitive and emotional difficulties frequently reported by overworked individuals.Researchers need to conduct future long-term and multi-method neuroimaging studies to validate these findings and explore the underlying mechanisms.

Integrating Neuroscience into Workplace Health Policies

The researchers suggest incorporating this type of assessment into workplace health and safety policies, which usually focus on physical and behavioral factors.

“By integrating neuroscience into occupational health policies, this research underscores the importance of developing strategies that safeguard the mental and physical well-being of workers, particularly as work demands continue to rise,” they concluded.

Read the original article on: New Atlas

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