Early exposure of children to smartphones is dangerous – scientists raise the alarm

Screens in infancy change the brain: Singaporean scientists discover connection between early gadget use and teenage anxiety

A large-scale ten-year study conducted by Singaporean scientists has revealed a troubling pattern: children who spent a lot of time in front of screens during their first two years of life demonstrate increased anxiety and slower decision-making as teenagers. The results of the scientific work, published in the prestigious journal EBioMedicine, have for the first time shown the biological mechanism behind this connection.

The study covered data from 168 children whose development was observed for more than ten years. Participants underwent brain MRIs at ages 4.5, 6, and 7.5 years, which allowed researchers to track changes in the structure and function of neural networks over time. This approach for the first time made it possible to link screen time in infancy with biological brain changes and mental state in adolescence.

The analysis showed that children with high levels of screen time before age two exhibited accelerated maturation of neural networks responsible for visual information processing and cognitive control. According to the authors, this is associated with the intensive sensory stimulation that screens provide. However, no similar connection was found for screen time at ages three to four, indicating that the early developmental period is particularly vulnerable.

"Accelerated maturation occurs when certain brain networks develop too quickly, often in response to strong external stimuli. Normally, specialization happens gradually, but with high screen exposure, networks responsible for vision and thinking form earlier than effective connections necessary for flexible thinking have time to develop," explained the first author of the study, Huang Pei.

This premature specialization had long-term consequences. At age 8.5, children with altered neural networks were slower at completing decision-making tasks, and by age 13, they more frequently reported symptoms of anxiety. According to the researchers, this indicates a possible chain of effects - from screen exposure in infancy to behavioral characteristics in adolescence.

At the same time, scientists discovered a factor that could mitigate the negative impact of screens. A companion study showed that parents regularly reading to children reduces the severity of brain changes associated with early screen time. Shared reading, according to the authors, provides an interactive and emotionally rich experience that passive content consumption lacks.

"Our work provides a biological explanation for why it's so important to limit screen time in the first two years of life. At the same time, it shows that active parental involvement - for example, shared reading - can significantly change the trajectory of development," noted the study leader, Tan Ai Peng.