Longitudinal associations between social media use, mental well-being and structural brain development across adolescence.

ABSTRACT: Youth of today grow up in a digital social world but the effects on well-being and brain development remain debated. This study tracked longitudinal associations between structural brain development, social media use and mental well-being. The study demonstrated two pathways of heterogeneity in brain development. First, adolescents who used social media more than their peers showed higher baseline cortical thickness in lateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) and medial PFC; and stronger decreases in the lateral PFC and temporal parietal junction. In contrast, adolescents with lower mental well-being showed lower baseline levels of surface area in the medial PFC and posterior superior temporal sulcus relative to their peers. Whereas the associations between structural brain development and well-bei

SUBMITTER: Achterberg M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8881643 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature