[ad_1]
An investigation led by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research of Singapore (A’STAR) warns that the exposure to screens before two years is associated with effects that can be felt years lateralready in adolescence. The study, published in the journal eBioMedicinelinks this early consumption with a slower decision making in childhood and with higher levels of anxiety in adolescence.
According to researchers, children who spent more time in front of screens in their early years show a accelerated maturation of certain brain networksspecifically those related to visual processing and cognitive control. This acceleration could be caused by the “intense sensory stimulation” that the screens offer.
What is relevant, the study highlights, is that this effect not observed when screen time is measured at three or four yearswhich confirms that the first years of life are a “particularly sensitive” period.
What happens in normal development
The first author of the work, Dr. Huang Pei, explains that “the accelerated maturation “It occurs when certain brain networks develop too quickly, often in response to adversity or other stimuli.”
In typical development, brain networks gradually specialize. However, in children with high screen exposure, the areas that control vision and cognition they specialize ahead of timewithout yet having built the efficient connections necessary for complex thinking.
“This can limit flexibility and resiliencewhich reduces the capacity of adaptation of the child in later stages of life,” adds Huang.
Slower decisions and more anxiety
This premature specialization has practical consequences. The study observed that these children They took longer to make decisions during a cognitive task at 8.5 yearswhich points to lower efficiency or mental flexibility.
Furthermore, at 13 yearsthe same participants reported more anxiety symptoms. The authors point out that these results indicate that early exposure to screens not limited to early childhoodbut can influence behavior and emotional well-being many years later.
The research is supported by data from 168 children from the GUSTO (Growing up Singapore Towards Healthy Outcomes) cohort, who have been followed for more than ten years. The scientists performed brain imaging on the 4.5, 6 and 7.5 yearswhich allowed us to observe how neural networks evolved over time.
Read together as a counterbalance
It’s not all bad news. The researchers remember that a previous study, published in 2024 in Psychological Medicineshowed that Shared reading between parents and children can offset some of the impact of screens.
Among children whose parents read to them frequently at age three, the link between screen time and brain disorders was significantly weakened. Reading provides something that screens do not offer: reciprocal interaction, language, shared attention and emotional connection.
For Tan Ai Peng, principal investigator at IHDP A*STAR and lead author of the study, the results are clear: “This research gives us a biological explanation for why it is crucial to limit screen time during the first two years. In addition, it highlights the importance of parental involvementproving that parent-child activities, like reading together, can make a significant difference.”
[ad_2]
Source link
