Important Burnout Effects on the Brain: An Interview with the Researchers Studying It

I sat down with two researchers from South Korea, Dr. Wanhyung Lee and Professor Choi, who decided to peer inside the skull of modern life’s favorite disease:burnout. We toss the word around like it is just another badge of honor in our work till you drop culture. But their study suggests it is not only your mood or vitality at stake, it is your brain. So the real question is this: are you grinding away at your to do list or grinding down your gray matter? This interview first appeared inmy newsletter here.(Click to read other interviews you may have missed or if you want to know who is going to be on the Causes or Cures Podcast!) Can you first tell our readers about the work you do and what motivated you to study burnout and structural brain changes? I am Dr. Wanhyung Lee, a physician specializing in occupational medicine, with expertise in occupational diseases, based at Chung-Ang University College of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea. My colleague and co-lead investigator, Professor Joon Yul Choi, is an expert in neuroimaging and biomedical engineering at Yonsei University in Wonju, South Korea. We combined our respective expertise—occupational vitality and advanced brain imaging techniques—to investigate how chronic occupational mental tension and burnout might structurally affect the brain. Our motivation stemmed from observing the growing global phenomenon of burnout and chronic overwork, especially among healthcare professionals, and recognizing a significant research gap: while psychological and physical impacts of burnout have been extensively studied, much less was known about the underlying biological or neurological changes. By collaborating across disciplines, we aimed to provide robust neurobiological evidence to promote better understand the cognitive and emotional consequences of occupational burnout and inform healthier workplace practices. How is burnout defined and how did you measure it in your study involving holistic health workers? Burnout typically refers to a chronic state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion resulting from prolonged and intense emotional strain. It’s characterized by emotional depletion, reduced performance, and negative attitudes toward work. In this pilot study, we specifically defined overwork based on weekly working hours—participants working 52 or more hours per week were categorized as “overworked.” While our study focused primarily on objective working hours rather than subjective burnout scales, these prolonged hours are widely recognized as a strong risk factor for occupational burnout. Your study found increased brain volume in regions associated with executive function and emotional regulation among overworked individuals. Are there any theories for how that might happen? Yes, one plausible theory is that prolonged occupational daily stressors triggers neuroadaptive responses—essentially, the brain attempting to cope with ongoing cognitive and emotional demands. Increased brain volume in areas associated with executive functions (such as attention, planning, and memory) and emotional regulation might initially represent neural mechanisms for compensating under stressful energy. Another possibility is systemic inflammation or structural reorganization related to persistent tensions or disrupted restorative phase processes. Further research will be necessary to understand precisely whether these changes represent health-supportive adaptations or early signs of chronic strain. Could you elaborate on the potential implications of your study findings for cognitive and emotional physical wellness? Our findings suggest that prolonged working hours may lead to structural brain changes that could affect critical cognitive abilities—such as decision-making, memory, and sustained attention—and also emotional stability. Initially, these brain changes might enable people to maintain performance under daily stressors. However, over longer periods, persistent emotional strain without adequate recovery period could ultimately lead to reduced cognitive efficiency, emotional exhaustion, heightened emotional unease, or depressive symptoms. This highlights the importance of recognizing and preventing chronic overwork as a serious vitality issue. How do you envision or hope your findings influencing workplace policies or interventions aimed at mitigating the effects of overwork? We hope this research will prompt employers and policymakers to prioritize cognitive and emotional holistic health more explicitly in their occupational mind-body health guidelines. This means not only setting stricter limits on working hours but also fostering workplace environments that actively aid physical recuperation and stressful energy management—such as providing structured rest periods, mental vitality resources, and work-life balance programs. Ultimately, integrating neurobiological evidence into policy discussions could lead to healthier workplaces and more sustainable working conditions. Do you plan to do more research in this area or are you focusing on other areas? Yes, we definitely plan to expand our research in this area. Our next step is to conduct larger, longitudinal studies across various occupational groups. We will integrate advanced neuroimaging techniques with comprehensive psychological assessments, daily stressors biomarkers, and measures of cognitive and emotional performance. By doing so, we aim to understand the long-term neurobiological impacts of overwork more thoroughly, helping to inform more effective interventions and protective policies in occupational well-being Thanks for reading about burnout effects on the brain. You guys may also be interested in an interview I conducted with the research team looking into Ozempic’s (and the weight loss drugs’) effects on our eyes and vision. Many people are taking Ozempic, so this is definitely something to know and stay up-to-date on! You can read thatinterview here! Also check out some of my recent guests on the Causes or Cures Podcast! These might interest you: It’s not the White Van! What we are getting wrong about child trafficking!(A GREAT one for parents and caretakers!!) Gene-Drive Mosquitoes are coming to a backyard near you! Will these cure disease or change Earth as we know it?!? Did you ever wonder what killed someone you love? If so, watch my short video on causationHERE!;) You can contact Dr. Eeks atbloomingwellness. com. Follow Eeks onInstagramhere. OrFacebookhere. OrX. OnYoutube. OrTikTok. SUBSCRIBE to her monthlynewsletter here! (Now featuring interviews with top experts on vitality you care about!)