Tulsa Researchers Shed New Light on the Biological Toll of Burnout in Healthcare Workers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
​March 25, 2026

LIBR Researcher Dr. Adrienne Taren Unveils First Neuroscience-Based Model Linking Cumulative Occupational Trauma to Brain Changes in Frontline Workers.

Tulsa, OK — Researchers at the Laureate Institute for Brain Research (LIBR) in Tulsa have published new findings that reframe how burnout in healthcare workers is understood—highlighting its roots not just in emotional strain, but in measurable changes across the brain and body.

​The study, published in the European Journal of Psychotraumatology, synthesizes a growing body of research on post-traumatic stress syndromes (PTSS) among frontline healthcare workers. It points to repeated, chronic exposure to high-stress environments—combined with disrupted sleep from shift work—as key drivers of cumulative physiological strain.

Estimates suggest that between 15% and 74% of healthcare workers experience trauma-related symptoms, underscoring the urgency of understanding how occupational stress impacts long-term mental and physical health.

Rather than viewing burnout as a temporary or purely psychological condition, the research outlines how ongoing stress exposure may disrupt brain circuits involved in emotion regulation, as well as broader systems tied to sleep, cardiovascular function, and inflammation. This cumulative burden—sometimes referred to as “allostatic overload”—may increase vulnerability to post-traumatic stress syndromes and related conditions.

“Healthcare workers are repeatedly exposed to high-stakes, unpredictable stressors in environments that often disrupt sleep and recovery,” said Dr. Adrienne Taren, lead author of the study and a researcher at LIBR. “Our work brings together evidence suggesting that these experiences can have measurable effects on the brain and body over time. By understanding these patterns, we have an opportunity to move toward earlier identification and more targeted support for those at risk.”

The study also highlights emerging approaches to identifying early signs of risk through multimodal biomarkers, including brain imaging, heart rate variability, sleep patterns, and stress-related biological markers. These tools may help clinicians detect early dysregulation and intervene before symptoms escalate.

As healthcare systems nationwide continue to face workforce shortages and rising burnout, the findings underscore the need for new frameworks that recognize the biological impact of chronic occupational stress—and support more proactive, precision-based approaches to care.

“This is ultimately about supporting the people who care for others,” Taren added. “By better understanding the biological impact of their work, we can begin to design interventions that are both preventative and responsive to their unique experiences.”

The research was conducted in collaboration with LIBR scientists and contributes to a growing global effort to better understand and address the mental health challenges facing healthcare workers and first responders.

Read the full study:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/20008066.2026.2636453