Thousands of Brain Scans Reveal A Worrying Consequence of Night Shifts

A large UK Biobank MRI study linked long-term shift work to modest volume loss in the right thalamus and left amygdala, along with some white matter degradation.

The brain changes were weakly associated with worse cognitive test performance, especially in areas tied to memory, emotion, and sleep regulation.

Researchers also found signs that some of the changes may partially reverse after people stop doing shift work.

The findings suggest chronic circadian disruption may leave measurable traces in the brain, but the overall health impact is still uncertain.