Boys and girls show different depressive symptoms tied to early brain development: A*STAR-led study
- Jun 7
- 1 min read
An A*STAR-led study in Singapore has revealed that boys and girls display distinct depressive symptoms in adolescence that are directly linked to differences in early childhood brain development. By analyzing brain scans of children between ages 4½ and 7½, researchers found that girls showed a faster rate of brain development during these early years and were 2½ times more likely to report depressive symptoms by age 13. Furthermore, the underlying neurological pathways differed by sex: early changes in emotional-processing regions were linked to low mood and poor self-esteem in girls, whereas different brain areas were associated with tiredness and feelings of ineffectiveness in boys. These findings emphasize that a "one-size-fits-all" approach to youth mental health may overlook critical early warning signs, highlighting the need to study mental vulnerabilities much earlier in childhood to provide more tailored, timely support.
Comments