Cognitive repercussions of social isolation in children

Background: In view of the pandemic of COVID-19, sedentary behavior was increased, especially in the pediatric public, with an increase in the use of digital technology in addition to a reduced practice of physical activities. Recent studies confirm the relationship between sedentary and structural damage to brain mass, with a direct association with an increased time spent in front of a screen. Several regions of the brain were shown to be affected, which can cause functional visual lags, interfere in the patient’s state of attention and verbal memory. Objectives: Review the current aspects of the literature regarding the cognitive repercussions of social isolation in pediatric patients. Methodology: Was performed an integrative bibliographic review in March 2021, in English and Portuguese, using the Scielo and PubMed databases. Results: The brain structure and its functionalism are the result of synchronized genetic and environmental factors. Thus, sedentary behavior can interfere with neuronal function, which, in children, can have irreversible repercussions. This way, the increase in screen time is directly associated with the decrease in the volume of gray matter of the brain in children. The main affected areas are the frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal and cerebellum regions. The use of the internet also showed a relationship with brain atrophy in subcortical regions. In addition, sedentarism reduces cerebral blood flow and synaptic plasticity, culminating in cognitive deficits. Conclusions: Social isolation, aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has the potential to generate serious cognitive repercussions for the sedentary population, especially for children, where injuries can be definitive.