WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Working long hours might actually change the structure of the brain, according to findings of preliminary research published in Occupational & Environmental Medicine.
Researchers from South Korea's Chung-Ang University and Yonsei University followed 110 healthcare workers, dividing them into two groups based on their working hours.
The 'overworked' group included 32 people who worked 52 hours or more per week. These individuals were generally younger, had spent less time in their jobs, and were more highly educated than those working standard hours.
Using MRI scans and data from another study, the researchers used a brain imaging method to measure gray matter in various brain regions. They found that those in the overworked group showed increased brain volume in certain areas particularly the middle frontal gyrus and the insula.
The middle frontal gyrus plays a key role in attention, memory, language, and decision-making, while the insula helps with emotional processing, self-awareness, and social understanding.
The scientists believe these changes may be linked to the mental and emotional difficulties often reported by people under constant work stress. They found noticeable differences in the brains of people who were overworked, meaning they experienced both physical and emotional stress along with a lack of adequate rest.
According to study co-author Joon Yul Choi, an assistant professor at Yonsei University, these brain changes might be at least partly reversible if the sources of stress are removed, CNN reports. However, recovery could take a long time, and the brain may not return to its original state right away.
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