Internet Addiction Disrupts Neural Networks in Adolescents: UCL Study

Excessive internet use can lead to negative behavioral and developmental changes such as relationship struggles, lying about online activity, irregular eating patterns, and disrupted sleep
Internet addiction affects neural networks in adolescents
UCL study found disrupted signaling in brain regions involved in attention, intellectual ability, working memory, physical coordination, and emotional processing
Internet Addiction Disrupts Neural Networks in Adolescents: UCL Study

Title: Internet Addiction Affects Adolescents' Behavior and Development, Study Finds

Internet addiction, a person's inability to resist the urge to use the internet negatively impacting their psychological well-being and social, academic, and professional lives, has been found to influence multiple neural networks in adolescents. These neural networks play an essential role in controlling attention, intellectual ability, working memory, physical coordination, emotional processing—all of which have an impact on mental health.

According to a study published in PLOS Mental Health by researchers from University College London (UCL), internet addiction is associated with disrupted signaling in the regions of the brain involved in multiple neural networks. The studies reviewed focused on 12 neuroimaging studies of adolescents with internet addiction that had examined changes in connectivity between brain networks.

The findings suggest that excessive use of the internet can lead to potentially negative behavioral and developmental changes, including struggles with maintaining relationships, lying about online activity, irregular eating patterns, and disrupted sleep. However, it is important to note that more research is needed to confirm these results fully.

One of the studies reviewed was conducted by Max Chang and Irene Lee from UCL. Their study found that when teenagers with internet addiction engaged in activities governed by the brain's executive control network (e.g., behaviors requiring attention, planning, decision-making, and impulsivity), those brain regions showed a significant disruption in their ability to work together compared to individuals of the same age without internet addiction.

The implications for adolescent behavior are significant. As Max Chang stated,


Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image

Confidence

95%

No Doubts Found At Time Of Publication

Sources

91%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Internet Addiction Disrupts Adolescent Brain Networks

Neuroscience News Neuroscience News Tuesday, 04 June 2024 19:14
  • Unique Points
    • All studies reviewed were conducted in Asia, indicating a need for more diverse research on internet addiction’s effects on the brain.
  • Accuracy
    • Internet addiction is associated with disrupted signaling in brain networks responsible for attention and decision-making.
    • Disruptions in brain signaling impact behaviors and development in adolescents.
  • Deception (80%)
    The article makes several statements that could be considered deceptive or misleading. First, the title 'Internet Addiction Disrupts Adolescent Brain Networks' is sensational and implies a definitive cause-and-effect relationship between internet addiction and brain disruptions, which may not be entirely accurate based on the information provided in the article. Additionally, the author states that 'internet use has been skyrocketing, with adolescents spending more and more of their waking hours online' without providing any data or evidence to support this claim. Furthermore, while the article mentions that 'most studies reviewed were conducted in Asia', it does not provide any explanation as to why this is significant or how it relates to the findings of the study. Lastly, some statements in the article are selectively reported and do not provide a complete picture of the research being discussed. For example, while the article mentions that 'functional connectivity was often reported to be disrupted during tasks that needed self-introspection and attention', it does not mention that this was only observed in some studies and not all of them.
    • Author: The title is sensational and implies a definitive cause-and-effect relationship between internet addiction and brain disruptions.
    • Title: 'Internet Addiction Disrupts Adolescent Brain Networks'
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

96%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Internet addiction affects behavior and development of adolescents, study finds

MedicalXpress Science X Wednesday, 05 June 2024 00:59
  • Unique Points
    • Internet addiction influences multiple neural networks, which can affect the behavior and development of adolescents.
    • Adolescents with an internet addiction undergo changes in the brain that could lead to additional addictive behavior and tendencies.
  • Accuracy
    • The effects of internet addiction were seen throughout multiple neural networks in the brains of adolescents, with a mixture of increased and decreased activity in certain brain regions.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

90%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Too Much Internet Use Is Changing Teenage Brains, Study Finds

Forbes Magazine Nick Morrison Tuesday, 04 June 2024 00:00
  • Unique Points
    • Study finds excessive internet use changes teenage brains
    • Impacts on physical co-ordination, short-term memory, impulse control, attention span, decision-making, motivation, response to rewards and processing information
    • More than three quarters of 10-15-year-olds in England and Wales spend three hours or more online at weekends
  • Accuracy
    • Impacts on physical co-ordination, short-term memory, impulse control, attention span, decision-making, motivation
    • Almost half of teens in the US say they use the internet ‘almost constantly’
  • Deception (70%)
    The article makes several statements that imply deception through selective reporting and sensationalism. The title 'Too Much Internet Use Is Changing Teenage Brains, Study Finds' is misleading as it implies that the study is the only one to find this result when in fact there were 12 studies mentioned in the article. Additionally, the author states 'The implications for adolescent behavior are significant,' but does not provide any specific examples or evidence of these implications. Furthermore, while the article mentions that researchers found decreased functional connectivity in parts of the brain involved in active thinking, it fails to mention that this was also found to be similar to changes resulting from drug-use and gambling addiction. This omission could lead readers to believe that internet addiction is unique in its impact on the brain.
    • The author states 'The implications for adolescent behavior are significant,' but does not provide any specific examples or evidence of these implications.
    • The title 'Too Much Internet Use Is Changing Teenage Brains, Study Finds' implies that this study is the only one to find this result when in fact there were 12 studies mentioned in the article.
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (95%)
    The author expresses a neutral tone towards the topic of internet addiction and its effects on teenage brains. However, there are some instances where the author implies a negative stance towards excessive internet use. For example, 'the implications for adolescent behavior are significant' and 'the findings from our study show that this can lead to potentially negative behavioral and developmental changes'. These statements suggest a bias against excessive internet use. Additionally, the author quotes Max Chang making statements that imply a negative impact of internet addiction on teenagers' lives, such as 'they may struggle to maintain relationships and social activities, lie about online activity and experience irregular eating and disrupted sleep'. This quote from Chang demonstrates a clear bias against excessive internet use.
    • the implications for adolescent behavior are significant
      • They may struggle to maintain relationships and social activities, lie about online activity and experience irregular eating and disrupted sleep.
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication

      90%

      The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
      (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

      A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

      Hear about the link between spending time on the internet and teen mental health

      CNN News Network Josephine Hitchings Tuesday, 04 June 2024 21:20
      • Unique Points
        • A new study has been conducted on the impact of internet addiction on adolescents.
        • Dr. Jean Twenge is a psychology professor and author who discussed the link between spending time on the internet and teen mental health on CNN News Central.
      • Accuracy
        • ]A new study has been conducted on the impact of internet addiction on adolescents.[
      • Deception (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Fallacies (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Bias (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication