Seoul: A new study found that working 52 hours a week may physically change the brain. Published in Occupational & Environmental Medicine, the research was conducted using MRI scans and data from the Gachon Regional Occupational Cohort Study (GROCS) in South Korea.
It showed that healthcare workers who routinely worked long hours had increased grey matter volume in brain areas linked to emotional regulation and memory, including the middle frontal gyrus, superior frontal gyrus, and insula.
The analysis involved 110 participants. Of them, 32 worked long hours, and 78 worked standard schedules. Researchers used voxel-based morphometry and atlas-based analysis to detect structural brain changes.
For example, the middle frontal gyrus volume increased by 19% in those working extended hours. These brain areas involve attention, decision-making, memory, and emotional processing.
Scientists believe these changes could be neuroadaptive, caused by chronic overwork. This adds to previous evidence showing that overwork is linked to heart disease, mental illness, and early death. The International Labour Organisation says overwork causes over 800,000 deaths annually.
While emotional and physical burnout are well-known, this study highlights that overwork can biologically impact brain structure. The findings urge caution against normalising long work hours. Researchers call for workplace reform and healthier work-life boundaries to protect brain health.
