The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on neurobiological functioning in adolescents
This study compared adolescents assessed before and after the COVID-19 lockdowns and found differences in stress hormones, inflammation, and brain activity during reward processing and emotion regulation. Post-lockdown teens had lower total cortisol, higher inflammation, and less prefrontal cortex activity. The sample was primarily White and of higher socioeconomic status, limiting generalizability.