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Last year, ‘brain rot’ was crowned Oxford Dictionary’s Word of the Year, a term which captured concerns about the impact of consuming “excessive amounts of low-quality online content, especially on social media.”
Now, recent findings from the American Psychological Association confirm that brain rot is not only real and more than a memed side-effect: it’s a real neurocognitive syndrome that causes measurable damage.
The study, titled “Feeds, Feelings, and Focus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Examining the Cognitive and Mental Health Correlates of Short-Form Video Use”, directly ties short-form video content (SFV) from algorithm-driven platforms such as TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts to brain rot.
Researchers analyzed data from 98,299 participants across 71 studies, and discovered that the more short-form content a person watches, the poorer cognitive performance they had when it comes to attention and inhibitory control.
And the videos are being watched a lot, as the review shows that young people now average 6.5 hours per day online.
The study states: “According to this framework, repeated exposure to highly stimulating, fast-paced content may contribute to habituation, in which users become desensitized to slower, more effortful cognitive tasks such as reading, problem solving, or deep learning.”
Habituation stimulates the brain’s reward system which, according to the study reinforces habitual use, which can lead to “social isolation, lower life satisfaction, and even self-esteem and body image.” As if that wasn’t bad enough, increased use of the platforms is also tied to poorer sleep, increased anxiety, and loneliness.
In short, excessive exposure to low-quality digital content has a noticeable impact on how our brains function. The more you watch shorts on platforms like TikTok, the more your attention span is diminished, impacting your mental health and critical thinking in the process.
“Overall, these findings highlight the importance of understanding the broader health implications of SFV use, given its pervasive role in daily life and potential to impact health, behavior, and well-being,” researchers write.
“By synthesizing current evidence, this study provides a critical foundation for future research to explore understudied health domains (e.g., cognitive health, physical health) and offers insights to guide public discourse and the development of research-informed approaches for promoting more balanced engagement with SFVs.”
So, suspect you’re suffering from cognitive atrophy? Maybe give the dopamine feedback loop a rest and pick up a book. At least that’s what we’re trying.