A recent study highlights the negative effects of working 52 or more hours weekly on cognitive and emotional capabilities. Researchers found that overworked health workers experienced significant alterations in brain areas vital for thinking, emotional regulation, and social skills. Data gathered through MRI scans of 110 workers revealed that excessive working hours were correlated with distinct structural changes in regions linked to executive functions. This underscores the importance of understanding the neurobiological ramifications of prolonged work hours and advocates for maintaining balanced workloads to preserve mental health.
Analysis showed a 19 per cent increase in left caudal middle frontal gyrus volume in the overworked group compared with the non-overworked group. This part of the brain has a major role in various cognitive functions, particularly in the frontal lobe.
The researchers, including from Yonsei University in South Korea, said: 'Overworked individuals exhibited significant changes in brain regions associated with executive function and emotional regulation.'
These findings provide novel neurobiological evidence linking prolonged working hours to structural brain changes, emphasising the need for further research to understand the long-term impacts of overworking on mental health.
The team concluded: 'This study provides preliminary evidence that overwork is associated with structural brain changes, particularly in regions linked to cognition and emotion.
Collection
[
|
...
]