UGA Today, June 12, 2024, Black Youth Are Paying An Emotional Toll Due To Racism
A new study from the University of Georgia suggests some Black youth are internalizing racial discrimination, which may increase their rates of depression and anxiety.
The analysis is part of a national study that followed over 1,500 Black American adolescents for three years. UGA researchers analyzed survey responses and brain imaging data to assess how the part of the brain that detects threats and regulates emotions, known as the amygdala, reacts under conditions simulating the experience of racial discrimination.
Published by JAMA Network Open, the study found that, for many of the participants, the amygdala essentially shuts down when faced with these negative images.
