Subscribe now

Mind

We're starting to understand what being bullied does to the brain

Being bullied when young seems to alter your brain structure for years to come - with different changes seen in males and females

By Helen Thomson

17 October 2024

The consequences of teenage bullying could last a lifetime

Patti Blake/News Herald via AP/Alamy

Being bullied when young is associated with widespread changes in the adolescent brain, which may influence future mental health, according to the largest brain scanning study of its kind.

Being on the receiving end of persistent or severe bullying as a child can lead to poor mental health as an adult, and has been linked with increased rates of psychiatric conditions, substance abuse and suicide.

Read more

The hidden rules that determine which friendships matter to us

While previous research has identified regions of the…

Article amended on 23 October 2024

This article has been changed to correct where Michael Connaughton works.

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox! We'll also keep you up to date with New Scientist events and special offers.

Sign up

To continue reading, subscribe today with our introductory offers

Unlock this article

No commitment, cancel anytime*

Offer ends 15 January 2025.

*Cancel anytime within 14 days of payment to receive a refund on unserved issues.

Inclusive of applicable taxes (VAT)

or

Existing subscribers

Sign in to your account

More from New Scientist

Explore the latest news, articles and features

Popular articles

Trending New Scientist articles

1

DNA analysis rewrites the stories of people buried in Pompeii

2

The complete guide to cooking oils and how they affect your health

3

Could seaweed be the ultimate carbon capture solution?

4

Marmots could have the solution to a long-running debate in evolution

5

Knots made in a weird quantum fluid can last forever

6

Carbon emissions from private jets have exploded in recent years

7

A cave in France is revealing how the Neanderthals died out

8

Bird flu antibodies found in dairy workers in Michigan and Colorado

9

Before the Stone Age: Were the first tools made from plants not rocks?

10

Ancient Mesopotamian clay seals offer clues to the origin of writing