Health Farm

-- Mums were right all along – all that screen time is bad! And now the developed world’s collective IQ is set to take a hit.

A new study that scanned the brains of children 3 to 5 years old has found that kids who used screens more than the recommended one hour a day without parental involvement showed lower levels of development in parts of the brain responsible for language, literacy, and cognitive skills.

Using a special type of MRI, called diffusion tensor imaging, scientists zoomed in on brain white matter – cable-like structures that connect various parts of the brain.

The results showed that children who stayed glued to their screens had more disorganised, underdeveloped white matter throughout the brain.

The news gets worse – tracts of white matter responsible for executive functions were also disorganised and underdeveloped.

Excessive screen time was also significantly associated with poorer emerging literacy skills and ability to use expressive language, as well as testing lower on the ability to rapidly name objects on cognitive tests taken by the 47 children in the study.

Screens aren’t going away. But kids can do themselves and their brains a favour by trying their hand at other activities.

Studies show that reading, juggling, and learning a musical instrument improve the organisation and structure of the brain’s white matter.