Long work hours reshape the brain: A hidden health risk
NEW YORK, May 14: Long working hours may cause structural changes in the brain, particularly in areas associated with emotional regulation and executive function, including working memory and problem-solving, according to preliminary research published in Occupational & Environmental Medicine. The findings suggest that overwork could lead to neuroadaptive changes that may impact both cognitive and emotional health.
The study highlights the well-established link between long working hours and heightened risks of cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, and mental health issues. The International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates that overwork results in more than 800,000 deaths annually. While the behavioral and psychological consequences of overwork are fairly well understood, the underlying neurological mechanisms and anatomical changes have not been fully explored, the researchers note.
To investigate further, the researchers used structural brain volume analysis to examine the impact of long working hours on specific brain regions in healthcare workers who routinely work more than 52 hours a week. Data from the Gachon Regional Occupational Cohort Study (GROCS) and MRI scans from a project on the effects of working conditions on brain structure were used for this analysis.
Participants in GROCS were asked to undergo an additional MRI scan, and after excluding those with missing data or poor-quality scans, the final analysis included 110 participants. Among these, 32 worked excessive weekly hours (28%) while 78 worked standard hours.
Notably, those working longer hours were significantly younger, had less work experience, and were more highly educated than those working standard hours.
The researchers used voxel-based morphometry (VBM), a neuroimaging technique that identifies regional differences in gray matter, and atlas-based analysis, which compares brain scan structures to pre-defined references. The comparative analysis revealed significant changes in the brain regions of those working 52 or more hours a week, particularly those related to executive function and emotional regulation.
For instance, the atlas-based analysis showed a 19% increase in the volume of the middle frontal gyrus in individuals working long hours compared to those working standard hours. This area of the brain is crucial for cognitive functions such as attention, working memory, and language processing.
VBM revealed peak increases in 17 regions, including the middle frontal gyrus, the superior frontal gyrus (involved in attention, planning, and decision-making), and the insula (key in emotional processing, self-awareness, and understanding social context).
While this study is small and observational, and no definitive conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect, the researchers emphasize that it represents an important first step in understanding the link between overwork and brain health. The study also suggests that the observed changes in brain volume may reflect neuroadaptive responses to chronic occupational stress, although the exact mechanisms remain unclear.
The researchers note, "These changes in brain volume could provide a biological basis for the cognitive and emotional challenges often experienced by overworked individuals. Future longitudinal studies with multiple imaging methods are needed to confirm these findings and further explore the underlying mechanisms."
The study's conclusions underscore the need for addressing overwork as a significant occupational health issue and call for workplace policies to reduce excessive working hours.
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Kuwait Times
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He's the maverick medic who loved to confound the medical establishment with his brilliant, unorthodox diagnoses. But Dr Gregory House, the misanthropic genius who was the star of the long-running 'House' television series, got an awful lot wrong himself, Croatian doctors claim. From a neurologist at work on the wrong end of a patient by performing a colonoscopy, or an MRI scan done by a physician who is clearly not a radiologist, Croatian researchers have pulled the American series up on its medical accuracy in a paper published this month. Denis Cerimagic, a professor at Dubrovnik University, and two fellow neurologists -- all big fans of the series -- listed 77 errors after analyzing all 177 episodes of the show, which ran from 2004 to 2012. 'We focused on the diagnoses of main cases, reality of clinical practice presentation and detection of medical errors,' Cerimagic told AFP. He and his peers -- Goran Ivkic and Ervina Bilic -- broke the mistakes down into five categories including misuses of medical terminology, misinformation and simple weirdness -- something which the show's anti-hero, played by British star Hugh Laurie, possessed in abundance. That limp They included the use of mercury thermometers -- which had long given way to digital ones -- the term heart attack and cardiac arrest being used interchangeably when they are not the same, and that vitamin B12 deficiency can be corrected with just one injection. Nor is there a universal chemotherapy for all types of malignant tumors, as one episode suggested. But arguably the biggest error of all is that Laurie -- whose character's genius for deduction comes from the misdiagnosis that left him with a limp and chronic pain -- uses his cane on the wrong side. The stick should be carried on his unaffected side, Cerimagic said, though he understood why the actor had done it because 'it's more effective to see the pronounced limp on the screen'. Their research also found medical procedures being done by specialists who had no business being there, like an infectologist performing an autopsy. At times the series also stretched reality beyond breaking point, with the findings of complex laboratory tests done in just a few hours. And doctors rarely turn detective and take it upon themselves to enter patients' homes to look for environmental causes of illnesses. Not to mention Dr House's unethical behavior -- 'Brain tumor, she's gonna die' the paper quoted him as saying -- and the character's opiates addiction. The researchers say they may have missed other mistakes. 'We are neurologists while other medical specialists would certainly establish additional errors,' Cerimagic added. Medical errors Whatever their criticisms, the researchers say that modern medical series are far better produced than in the past, thanks to medical advisors. It is not like some 20 years ago when you had doctors looking at X-rays upside down, the neurologist said. 'Now only medical professionals can notice errors,' Cerimagic said. Despite its flaws, they thought the series could even be used to help train medical students. 'The focus could be on recognizing medical errors in the context of individual episodes, adopting the teamwork concept and a multidisciplinary approach in diagnosis and treatment,' Cerimagic said. He said he and his colleagues were taken aback by the response to their paper 'House M.D.: Between reality and fiction' -- which is not the first academic study to cast doubt on the good doctor and his methods. 'The idea was to make a scientific paper interesting not only to doctors but also to people without specific medical knowledge.' - AFP
Arab Times
14-05-2025
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Long work hours reshape the brain: A hidden health risk
NEW YORK, May 14: Long working hours may cause structural changes in the brain, particularly in areas associated with emotional regulation and executive function, including working memory and problem-solving, according to preliminary research published in Occupational & Environmental Medicine. The findings suggest that overwork could lead to neuroadaptive changes that may impact both cognitive and emotional health. The study highlights the well-established link between long working hours and heightened risks of cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, and mental health issues. The International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates that overwork results in more than 800,000 deaths annually. While the behavioral and psychological consequences of overwork are fairly well understood, the underlying neurological mechanisms and anatomical changes have not been fully explored, the researchers note. To investigate further, the researchers used structural brain volume analysis to examine the impact of long working hours on specific brain regions in healthcare workers who routinely work more than 52 hours a week. Data from the Gachon Regional Occupational Cohort Study (GROCS) and MRI scans from a project on the effects of working conditions on brain structure were used for this analysis. Participants in GROCS were asked to undergo an additional MRI scan, and after excluding those with missing data or poor-quality scans, the final analysis included 110 participants. Among these, 32 worked excessive weekly hours (28%) while 78 worked standard hours. Notably, those working longer hours were significantly younger, had less work experience, and were more highly educated than those working standard hours. The researchers used voxel-based morphometry (VBM), a neuroimaging technique that identifies regional differences in gray matter, and atlas-based analysis, which compares brain scan structures to pre-defined references. The comparative analysis revealed significant changes in the brain regions of those working 52 or more hours a week, particularly those related to executive function and emotional regulation. For instance, the atlas-based analysis showed a 19% increase in the volume of the middle frontal gyrus in individuals working long hours compared to those working standard hours. This area of the brain is crucial for cognitive functions such as attention, working memory, and language processing. VBM revealed peak increases in 17 regions, including the middle frontal gyrus, the superior frontal gyrus (involved in attention, planning, and decision-making), and the insula (key in emotional processing, self-awareness, and understanding social context). While this study is small and observational, and no definitive conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect, the researchers emphasize that it represents an important first step in understanding the link between overwork and brain health. The study also suggests that the observed changes in brain volume may reflect neuroadaptive responses to chronic occupational stress, although the exact mechanisms remain unclear. The researchers note, "These changes in brain volume could provide a biological basis for the cognitive and emotional challenges often experienced by overworked individuals. Future longitudinal studies with multiple imaging methods are needed to confirm these findings and further explore the underlying mechanisms." The study's conclusions underscore the need for addressing overwork as a significant occupational health issue and call for workplace policies to reduce excessive working hours.
Arab Times
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Experts warn of cancer risks from overuse of CT scans
NEW YORK, April 15: US researchers are raising concerns over the potential health risks linked to the increasing use of CT (computed tomography) scans — a common diagnostic tool that uses X-rays to create detailed images of the body. While these scans play a vital role in detecting diseases, experts say the radiation exposure they involve could elevate cancer risks, particularly with frequent or unnecessary use. CT scans differ from MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans, which use magnets and radio waves instead of radiation. Though both machines resemble tube-like structures and produce high-resolution images, the radiation used in CT scans belongs to the high-energy end of the electromagnetic spectrum — the same range that includes ultraviolet (UV) rays and gamma rays. This type of "ionizing" radiation has enough energy to damage tissue at the molecular level, potentially leading to cancer. "CT can save lives, but its potential harms are often overlooked," said Dr. Rebecca Smith-Bindman, a radiologist at the University of California San Francisco and lead author of the study. The research modeled cancer risk in 61.5 million U.S. patients who had undergone CT scans, estimating that around 103,000 cancer cases could eventually result from the radiation exposure over their lifetimes. This would represent about 5% of the annual cancer diagnoses in the U.S., assuming current scanning rates continue. CT scan usage has risen by approximately 30% since 2007, with older adults — especially those aged 60 to 69 — being the most frequent recipients. The study found abdominal and pelvic CT scans posed the highest risk for adults, while head scans were most concerning for children. Infants scanned before their first birthday faced a tenfold higher risk of developing cancer compared to older children. 'Our estimates put CT on par with other significant risk factors, such as alcohol consumption and excess body weight,' Dr. Smith-Bindman noted. 'Reducing the number of scans and minimizing radiation doses could save lives.' She emphasized that many scans are performed unnecessarily, including those ordered for mild symptoms like headaches or respiratory infections. Additionally, patients often receive higher doses of radiation than required, further increasing their health risks. Other experts echo these concerns. Dr. Pradip Deb, a radiation safety specialist at RMIT University in Australia, who was not involved in the study, agreed that high-energy radiation is a known carcinogen. However, he cautioned that not every individual exposed to radiation will develop cancer, and personal risk varies. 'Radiation is a well-established cause of cancer, but we must balance that knowledge with the benefits CT scans provide,' said Dr. Deb. 'They are essential in diagnosing conditions that can significantly improve a patient's quality of life.' He added that while the risks should not be ignored, patients should not panic. Instead, medical providers must focus on using CT scans only when truly necessary and opt for lower-dose or non-radiation alternatives where available. Ultimately, researchers call for more responsible and regulated use of CT scans in healthcare to minimize avoidable harm while continuing to harness their life-saving benefits.
