Study finds shift work, including night shifts, is associated with reduced brain volume

A large UK Biobank MRI study of 14,198 people found shift workers tended to have smaller right thalamus and left amygdala volumes than non-shift workers.

The findings suggest night and rotating shifts may be linked not only to sleep loss and fatigue, but also to structural changes in specific brain regions.

Among people who had left shift work, the associated volume loss appeared to stop within about 2.4 years.

The results could influence shift-scheduling policies and health management for workers exposed to irregular hours.