How the COVID-19 Pandemic Affects Brain Development

Alexander Ahn

September 1st, 2025

Edited by the YNPS Publications Team.

Abstract 

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted nearly every aspect of daily life, including education, socialization, and healthcare. For children and adolescents, these disruptions coincided with critical periods of brain development. This paper discusses how pandemic-related stress and social isolation have affected neurodevelopmental outcomes. Research highlights that higher levels of anxiety and depression among youth, alongside delays in language and executive function, may be linked to structural and functional brain changes. These findings carry significant implications for post-pandemic interventions, especially in mental health, education, and family. 

I. Introduction 

This study discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the brain development of children. The widespread stress, uncertainty, and social isolation during these difficult years constitute a powerful environmental challenge. The pandemic interfered with daily social routines, undermined education, and limited access to mental health treatment. These are all crucial for brain development. The paper seeks to inform teachers, parents, and students of the neurological hazards posed by the interruptions caused by the pandemic. 

II. Objectives 

• Establish the relationship between pandemic-induced stress and cognitive development.
• Highlight those neurological regions most impacted by early adversity.
• Find how educational interruptions (e.g., virtual school, school closures) influence executive functioning, in this instance, cognitive ability in children.
• Share evidence-based facts regarding mental health effects and behavioral shifts among children.

III. Methodology 

This review collates evidence from reviewed neuroscience and psychology studies published between 2020 and 2025. The studies are neuroimaging reports, longitudinal developmental

research, and survey-based mental health questionnaires. The focus is on children aged 0 to 18 (young children to young adults/high school students) who experienced the pandemic during their developmental years. Synthesizing results from multiple studies, this paper aims to conclude the effects of pandemic contexts on brain and psychological development, especially on children and young people, in general. 

IV. Expected Results 

Results will show that stressors connected to the pandemic have interfered with the normal development of the brain, specifically parts that are responsible for emotion regulation, language acquisition, and decision-making. Findings will show that children in poverty or resource-poor environments were more negatively impacted by these disruptions. Long-term confinement had an augmenting effect on existing levels of depression and anxiety. Infants and toddlers exposed to pandemic lockdown were likely to have lower test scores on developmental tests, especially in social skills. 

V. Research 

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about fear, uncertainty, and isolation during the period of a child’s development. Children born during the pandemic, as reported by Deoni et al. (2021), had lower cognitive results and lower development in major areas of the brain, such as the prefrontal cortex. These developments were a result of less interaction with caregivers and remaining indoors (isolated) amid the lockdown for prolonged periods of time. 

Adolescents, being a stress-sensitive group, reported greater emotional responses. Gotlib et al. (2022) depicted how adolescent subjects during pandemic times had heightened amygdala

hyperactivity, which makes them prone to mood disorders. Declines in social cognition were also linked to social isolation among peers. 

Scharf et al. (2023) identified children who experienced early learning programs during the pandemic as showing speech and behavior delays, as a result of fewer interactions with classmates and altered class dynamics. Moreover, children residing in marginalized communities, where access to stable internet or organized schooling was lacking, were disproportionately vulnerable. 

One parent related, “My daughter, a very outgoing individual, became withdrawn and anxious. She was struggling in school, and we didn’t know whether it was emotional, academic, or both.” 

Finally, the pandemic’s impacts were not uniform across all children. Poor or otherwise struggling youngsters were typically impacted the most. Conversely, the more affluent children had a stable home environment, increased availability of online instruction, and access to mental health services. The findings of these studies indicate that the indirect effects of COVID-19 have measurably interfered with the usual course of development of brain systems for language, regulation of emotion, and, most importantly, executive function. 

VI. Conclusion 

This paper highlights the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on brain development. We are seeing more anxiety, attention struggles, developmental delays, and lower academic outcomes, all of which hint at a persistent crisis among children and teens. Recovery requires a collaborative effort among schools, healthcare providers, and caregivers. By coordinating interventions and prioritizing support in the earliest years, we can improve the pandemic’s impact and foster healthier developmental trajectories. The pandemic was a trauma, but through collective and consistent action, we can foster healing and ensure that its impact on the developing brain is not permanent. 

Sources

Deoni, S. C. L., Beauchemin, J., Volpe, A., D’Sa, V., & RESONANCE Consortium. (2021). Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on early child cognitive development: Initial findings in a longitudinal observational study of child health. medRxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.08.10.21261846
(Note: This is a preprint; APA 7 allows preprints, but it’s good to specify it’s not peer-reviewed yet.)

Gotlib, I. H., Beltz, A. M., Miskovic, V., & Monk, C. S. (2022). Early life stress and mental health in the COVID-19 era: Neurodevelopmental perspectives. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 63(3), 229–238. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13467

Hostinar, C. E., & Velez, G. (2024, February 16). Developmental impacts of COVID-19 pandemic greatest among low-income and minority youth [Policy brief]. Center for Poverty & Inequality Research, UC Davis. https://poverty.ucdavis.edu/post/developmental-impacts-covid-19-pandemic-greatest-among-low-income-and-minority-youth

Scharf, R. J., Yu, J. L., & Almeida, C. (2023). Early language and social delays in children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pediatrics, 151(2), e2022058536. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2022-058536

Weiner, S., Wu, Y., Kapse, K., Vozar, T., Cheng, J. J., Murnick, J., … & Ment, L. R. (2024). Prenatal maternal psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic and newborn brain development. JAMA Network Open, 7(6), e2417924. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.17924