New Delhi: Social withdrawal during teenage years may affect brain structure and cognitive function, potentially influencing decision-making and social behaviour, according to a new study.

Published in the journal Cerebral Cortex, the study found that adolescents who prefer solitude show measurable differences in brain structure and function, including a more fragile cerebellum — a region crucial for movement, balance, and posture.

Researchers analysed brain scans of nearly 3,000 teenagers, along with parental surveys about their children's social tendencies. Teens who often withdrew socially were found to have thinner cortex layers in regions associated with social and emotional processing, such as the insula and anterior cingulate, which are part of the limbic system.

They also exhibited weaker connectivity between brain regions and increased fragility in neural circuits linked to social behaviour and decision-making. These structural variations, spread across multiple brain networks, suggest that social isolation in adolescence could have broad effects on mental health and cognition, the researchers said.

Lead author Caterina Stamoulis of Boston Children's Hospital noted that social isolation impacts not just social-function-related brain areas but also other cognitive processes. “Its association with widespread brain circuits suggests an increased risk for mental health issues,” she said.

The study drew its data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) project, which follows more than 11,000 young adults in the US, tracking their mental health through neuroimaging, behavioural, and environmental data.

The researchers emphasised that while some solitude is normal in adolescence, persistent withdrawal warrants early attention. Clinicians, they said, can play a vital role by helping families recognise early signs and understand the measurable brain impacts of social isolation.