Cognitive Effects of the Digital World; The Adverse Effects of Online Engagement on the Adolescent Brain

9/13/2024

The vulnerable developing minds of today’s youth are exposed to more screen time than ever, decreasing the functionality of specific brain regions involved with word recognition and cognitive connectivity and functionality. The research article “Brain Health Consequences of Digital Technology Use” written by Smalls et al. in the Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, a recent academic review discovered that even children 2 years of age and below collected one hour of screen time daily, and by age 3, the time in front of a screen had increased to over 3 hours daily (Small et al. par. 3). New research concludes that some of the developmental effects of high screen exposure are “…associated with poorer language development and executive functioning, particularly in very young children…” (Small et al. par. 11). Further research in a study evaluating children 8-12 years of age discovered less stimulation and connectivity in areas of the brain associated with language and cognitive functionality, conveying an impediment to healthy brain development when comparing screen time to reading time (Small et al. par. 12). Due to increased screen time, adolescents' physical effects on the brain display reduced health of white-matter pathways (located in deeper tissue of the brain and containing nerve cells necessary for the transmutation of electrical impulses) (Small et al. par. 12). Large amounts of screen time are directly connected to the cognitive consequences of reduced neurological connectivity and cognitive impairments of language skills depicted in adolescents today.

The rise of online engagement has irrevocably changed the way of life in modern society and continuously affects human cognitive development. Many neurologists and psychologists are continuing further research to determine how this may change the brains of humans in the future as online engagement continues to increase and what technological improvements need to occur to create a healthy, tech-involved world.

Citations

Small, Gary W, et al. “Brain Health Consequences of Digital Technology Use.” Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, Les Laboratoires Servier, 22 June 2020, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7366948/.