Long-term shift work ‘ages’ the brain, new study finds

Long-term shift work has an ageing effect on the brain that leads to an impaired ability to think and remember, a study has found. A decade or more of working rotating shifts was associated with a loss of brain function equivalent to six and a half years of age-related cognitive decline, the research showed. Stopping shift work led to a gradual recovery — but one that took at least five years, scientists said.

Shift work chronically impairs cognition, with potentially important safety consequences not only for the individuals concerned, but also for society.

Dr Jean-Claude Marquie, University of Toulouse, France, leader of the international team behind the study

The scientists assessed more than 3,000 workers from southern France who had their mental abilities tested on three occasions over a 10-year period from 1996. Shift workers had lower average scores for memory, processing speed and overall brain function than those working normal office hours. Compared with people who had never worked rotating shifts, participants employed this way for 10 or more years had lower overall thinking and memory scores.

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