Social Media Use Is Linked to Brain Changes in Teens, Research Finds

Social Media Use Is Linked to Brain Changes in Teens, Research Finds
Teens who frequently checked social media showed an increasing sensitivity to peer feedback, although the cause of the changes was not clear.

A few excerpts from the article:

A new study by neuroscientists at the University of North Carolina tries something new, conducting successive brain scans of middle schoolers between the ages of 12 and 15, a period of especially rapid brain development.

At around age 12, the students already showed distinct patterns of behavior. Habitual users reported checking their feeds 15 or more times a day; moderate users checked between one and 14 times; nonhabitual users checked less than once a day.

The results showed that “teens who grow up checking social media more often are becoming hypersensitive to feedback from their peers,” Dr. Telzer said.

it is unclear, authors said, whether the changes are beneficial or harmful. Social sensitivity could be adaptive, showing that the teenagers are learning to connect with others; or it could lead to social anxiety and depression if social needs are not met.