"Accelerated maturation happens when certain brain networks develop too fast, often in response to adversity or other stimuli," said first author of the study, Dr Huang Pei, senior scientist at the Department of Diagnostic Imaging at the National University Health System, Singapore, in a press release.
"During normal development, brain networks gradually become more specialised over time. However, in children with high screen exposure, the networks controlling vision and cognition specialised faster, before they had developed the efficient connections needed for complex thinking. This can limit flexibility and resilience, leaving the child less able to adapt later in life,” he added.
For the study, researchers examined data from 168 children in Singapore. Data included infant screen time between 1 and 2 years old, diffusion MRI between 4.5 and 7.5 years old, decision-making at 8.5 years old, and, lastly, symptoms of anxiety at age 13.
Ultimately, higher levels of screen time were linked to a steeper decline in visual-cognitive control network integration between 4.5 and 7.5 years of age. Those exposed to more screen time also took longer to make decisions during a cognitive task at 8.5 years old- pointing towards reduced cognitive efficiency or flexibility. This slower decision-making correlated with higher symptoms of anxiety at age 13.
Public health strategies aiming to reduce infant screen time could benefit children’s cognitive and mental health, concluded the researchers in their study. They added that mechanistic studies are needed to substantiate their findings and that future research should seek to differentiate the impact of media content quality on brain development and cognitive outcomes.
Sources: EurekAlert, eBioMedicine
