Infants’ brains are at risk: Study warns of a “hidden enemy”

A new study in Singapore has shown that infants who spent a lot of time in front of screens before the age of two experienced changes in brain development, which later led to slower decision-making and increased anxiety during adolescence.

Children who were exposed to more screens during infancy also showed faster development in brain regions responsible for visual processing and self-control. Researchers suggest this may be due to the intense sensory stimulation caused by screens.

The study, led by Assistant Professor Tani Peng and her team from the Singapore Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A-STAR) Human Capacity Development Institute and the National University of Singapore, used long-term Singapore data and was titled “Growing Up in Singapore Towards Healthy Outcomes”.

The study, published in the journal eBioMedicine, followed 168 children for more than 10 years, and they underwent brain scans at ages 4.5, 6 and 7.5.

This allowed researchers to see how brain networks develop over time, rather than relying on a single scan.

Screen use at ages 3 and 4 did not show the same effects, suggesting that the first two years of life are particularly sensitive.

“Accelerated maturation occurs when certain brain networks develop too rapidly, often in response to difficulties or other stimuli,” says Huang Pei, lead author of the study.

“During normal development, brain networks gradually become more specialized over time. However, in children who are exposed to screens a lot, the networks that control vision and perception develop more rapidly, before they develop the functional connections necessary for complex thinking. This may limit flexibility and adaptability, making the child less adaptable later in life.”

The researchers say these findings could help parents and the government develop early childhood policies, and support efforts in Singapore to promote healthy development from a very early age.