Internet Addiction and Popcorn Brain

[chanel]

Over time, and with enough Internet usage, the structure of our brains can actually physically change, according to a new study. Researchers in China did MRIs on the brains of 18 college students who spent about 10 hours a day online.

Compared with a control group who spent less than two hours a day online, these students had less gray matter, the thinking part of the brain. The study was published in the June issue of PLoS ONE, an online journal.

The worry is that life online is giving us what researcher, David Levy, calls "popcorn brain" -- a brain so accustomed to the constant stimulation of electronic multitasking that we're unfit for life offline, where things pop at a much slower pace.

Does life online give you 'popcorn brain'? - CNN.com

This study did not surprise me. My fear is that young people in particular are suffering irreparable brain damage. Last year we had discussion about professors banning the use of laptops in class. I have a particular pet peeve about cell phones usage in high schools.

Ideas? Suggestions? Comments?

 

[Truthmatters]

Idiocracy in the making

 

[whitehall]

Does China operate with the same intellectual honesty that American researchers allegedly conform to? It doesn't seem that MRI's on a dozen and a half students proves anything. Did they have a control group?

 

[Foxfyre]

I would also like to know what other variables might be a factor too. Are these kids use a lot of pot or opiates? Do they exercise their brain or read good books or solve difficult puzzles?

I do think spending a lot of time in activity that doesn't stretch the brain or make you think can have a negative effect, but I would want to see a study like this confirmed.

However, I now have a craving for popcorn. I believe I'll go pop me some.

 

[chanel]

Yes it was a small sample and of course we don't know if the damage is temporary or permanent. But it certainly warrants further research. I'm sure we're all aware of "being in the zone" thinking about a text, email, or USMB post, and consequently forget what we were supposed to be doing. The danger of addiction is powerful and kids are particularly vulnerable.

 

[chanel]

Does China operate with the same intellectual honesty that American researchers allegedly conform to? It doesn't seem that MRI's on a dozen and a half students proves anything. Did they have a control group?

Yes there was a control group. I just skimmed the abstract.

Background

Recent studies suggest that internet addiction disorder (IAD) is associated with structural abnormalities in brain gray matter. However, few studies have investigated the effects of internet addiction on the microstructural integrity of major neuronal fiber pathways, and almost no studies have assessed the microstructural changes with the duration of internet addiction.

Conclusion

We provided evidences indicating that IAD subjects had multiple structural changes in the brain. The gray matter atrophy and white matter FA changes of some brain regions were significantly correlated with the duration of internet addiction. These results may be interpreted, at least partially, as the functional impairment of cognitive control in IAD. The prefrontal cortex abnormalities were consistent with previous substance abuse studies [23], [48], [80], [81], hence we suggested that there may exist partially overlapping mechanisms in IAD and substance use. We hoped that our results will enhance our understanding of IAD and aid in improving the diagnosis and prevention of IAD.

PLoS ONE: Microstructure Abnormalities in Adolescents with Internet Addiction Disorder

Brain research is expensive. I would imagine that most studies use small samples.

We do know that the brain is not fully developed until approx. age 25. This is what concerns me the most.

 

[California Girl]

Over time, and with enough Internet usage, the structure of our brains can actually physically change, according to a new study. Researchers in China did MRIs on the brains of 18 college students who spent about 10 hours a day online.

Compared with a control group who spent less than two hours a day online, these students had less gray matter, the thinking part of the brain. The study was published in the June issue of PLoS ONE, an online journal.

The worry is that life online is giving us what researcher, David Levy, calls "popcorn brain" -- a brain so accustomed to the constant stimulation of electronic multitasking that we're unfit for life offline, where things pop at a much slower pace.

Does life online give you 'popcorn brain'? - CNN.com

This study did not surprise me. My fear is that young people in particular are suffering irreparable brain damage. Last year we had discussion about professors banning the use of laptops in class. I have a particular pet peeve about cell phones usage in high schools.

Ideas? Suggestions? Comments?

You're a conservative, therefore you do not believe in education anyway. Chill.

 

[chanel]

Ha ha. I am a conservative who believes in education whole heartedly. Unfortunately, that's no longer the purpose of schools.

My students affectionately call me the "cell phone Nazi" I've explained that my number one job is to prevent brain damage (at least in my presence) lol

 

[bill5]

Over time, and with enough Internet usage, the structure of our brains can actually physically change, according to a new study. Researchers in China did MRIs on the brains of 18 college students who spent about 10 hours a day online.

Compared with a control group who spent less than two hours a day online, these students had less gray matter, the thinking part of the brain. The study was published in the June issue of PLoS ONE, an online journal.

The worry is that life online is giving us what researcher, David Levy, calls "popcorn brain" -- a brain so accustomed to the constant stimulation of electronic multitasking that we're unfit for life offline, where things pop at a much slower pace.

Does life online give you 'popcorn brain'? - CNN.com

This study did not surprise me. My fear is that young people in particular are suffering irreparable brain damage. Last year we had discussion about professors banning the use of laptops in class. I have a particular pet peeve about cell phones usage in high schools.

Ideas? Suggestions? Comments?

Didn't surprise me in the least. It's not just the internet either; cell phones/computer games/iWhatevers, etc etc etc and ad nauseum...it's the "MTV era." God forbid you not have some mindless electronic doo-dad jammed in your face 24/7. Younger generations are growing up in an environment where they are far too over-stimulated and saturated in form-not-substance activities and focus a disturbing % of the time in this elecontronic real-yet-not-really-real world, vs being focused on who and where they actually are at.

ie put down the damned electronic crapola and go play out in the yard already. Even more disturbing is that they don't even get it, as it's the only way they've ever known (and hey "everybody is doing it"). I truly pity kids nowdays.

 

[sparky]

kids are no more or less 'addicted' to the world than we were back when

the only change i see is the powers that be, in their relentless pechant to demonize today's kids one way or another, for their own gain

 

[chanel]

I disagree sparky. Studies have shown that the internet can be as addictive as nicotine. And anyone who have ever quit smoking can tell you, that is one powerful drug.

 

[Spud]

The internet doesn't create a physical and chemical addiction, it's no different than being addicted to reading, or any other activity.

Second of all, what do these kids do on the internet, is it a mentally stimulating activity like debating politics, or mindless gaming, or intellectually stimulating gaming, or just looking up porn. I think there's too many factors here to draw any type of conclusion.

 

[Big Black Dog]

There should be a mandatory law. For every hour spent on the internet you are required to do an hours worth of fishing. Salt water or fresh water fishing. Doesn't matter. Just fishing.

 

[Swagger]

It's an interesting question/theory, and one that delves pertinently into an increasingly sensitive subject. But I also suspect that this theory draws too heavily on the more juvenille aspects of the internet. I mean, can you seriously compare, however much time spent on them, playing online video games, online shopping, surfing pornography, the banal rignoral of social networking to the cognotive thought required to be taken seriously on an interface such as USMB (yes, I understand that some just use it to antagonise others). In my opinion, dissecting fact from fiction and crafting a well-reasoned comment/reply to a serious question on a message board requires far more grey matter than it does choosing which imaginary weapon would be more practical on whichever online shoot 'em up you like playing, or indeed, are addicted to. Writing on message boards also keeps both my literacy and grammar sharp, as I have to take into consideration that whatever I post will be open to some fairly harsh criticism. And for the record, message boards, media outlets and the occasional bit of social networking are my preferred online habitat. Message boards visited mainly by adults require more intellect from the user than an online computer game, which I suspect (though I could be wrong) is the negative aspect the link in the OP is addressing.

 

[editec]

I am totally addicted to the instant gratification of life on line.

As are, I suspect, many of you reading this.

 

[highTech]

there are countless number of articles on the subject - just because you are not technically checmilcally addicted is it possible that its almost a state of hypnotism to some degree?

 

[Foxfyre]

there are countless number of articles on the subject - just because you are not technically checmilcally addicted is it possible that its almost a state of hypnotism to some degree?

I absolutely believe people can become addicted to the internet experience. Check out those who are constantly surfing with their blackberries or smart phones, constantly texting, constantly checking e-mail, and similar activities. Deprived of the ability to do that, they become agitated, anxious, miserable.

Gambling isn't a chemical dependency either, but nobody disputes that it can become a debilitating addiction.

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

It seems to me that addictive personalities will manage to get addicted to anything, whether it's booze, drugs, gambling, smoking, other people, running, food, sex...online activites...or whatever.

So what are we going to do...tell people they can't use the Internet? That's not going to happen.

You think the Internet is bad, let's hope they never get "virtual reality" up and running and readily available!

 

[highTech]

has anyone heard of unplugreconnect.com