TikTok Scrolling Can Lead to Brain Rot, New Study Finds

Manama: In 2024, the Oxford Dictionary declared "brain rot" as its word of the year. This term highlights concerns about the impact of consuming excessive amounts of low-quality online content, particularly on social media platforms. Recent findings from the American Psychological Association confirm that brain rot is not just a side effect; it is a genuine neurocognitive syndrome that causes measurable damage to the brain.

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” explains how short-form video content (SFV) from algorithm-driven platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts leads to brain rot. Excessive exposure to low-quality digital content from algorithm-driven platforms can severely affect how our brains function. The more time individuals spend watching short videos on platforms like TikTok, the more their attention spans diminish, negatively impacting their mental health and critical thinking abilities.

For this study, researchers analyzed data from 98,299 participants across 71 studies. Their findings reveal that the more short-form content a person watches, the worse their cognitive performance becomes regarding attention and inhibitory control. On average, young people spend about 6.5 hours a day watching online videos.

The study suggests that repeated exposure to highly stimulating, fast-paced content may result in habituation, making individuals desensitized to slower, more demanding cognitive tasks such as reading, problem-solving, or deep learning. This habituation stimulates the brain’s reward system, but habitual use can also harm an individual’s overall well-being by increasing social isolation, lowering life satisfaction, and negatively affecting self-esteem and body image. Additionally, mental health risks such as poorer sleep quality and increased anxiety are implicated.

These insights enhance our understanding of behavioral and cognitive studies and can guide public discourse, as well as the development of research-informed approaches to promote more balanced engagement with short-form videos.