Department of Psychology, Faculty of Science, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON N2L 3C5, Canada.
Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON N2L 3C5, Canada.
J Integr Neurosci. 2022 Jan 28;21(1):28. doi: 10.31083/j.jin2101028.
Converging evidence from biopsychosocial research in humans and animals demonstrates that chronic sensory stimulation (via excessive screen exposure) affects brain development increasing the risk of cognitive, emotional, and behavioural disorders in adolescents and young adults. Emerging evidence suggests that some of these effects are similar to those seen in adults with symptoms of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in the early stages of dementia, including impaired concentration, orientation, acquisition of recent memories (anterograde amnesia), recall of past memories (retrograde amnesia), social functioning, and self-care. Excessive screen time is known to alter gray matter and white volumes in the brain, increase the risk of mental disorders, and impair acquisition of memories and learning which are known risk factors for dementia. Chronic sensory overstimulation (i.e., excessive screen time) during brain development increases the risk of accelerated neurodegeneration in adulthood (i.e., amnesia, early onset dementia). This relationship is affected by several mediating/moderating factors (e.g., IQ decline, learning impairments and mental illness). We hypothesize that excessive screen exposure during critical periods of development in Generation Z will lead to mild cognitive impairments in early to middle adulthood resulting in substantially increased rates of early onset dementia in later adulthood. We predict that from 2060 to 2100, the rates of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) will increase significantly, far above the Centres for Disease Control (CDC) projected estimates of a two-fold increase, to upwards of a four-to-six-fold increase. The CDC estimates are based entirely on factors related to the age, sex, race and ethnicity of individuals born before 1950 who did not have access to mobile digital technology during critical periods of brain development. Compared to previous generations, the average 17-19-year-old spends approximately 6 hours a day on mobile digital devices (MDD) (smartphones, tablets, and laptop computers) whereas individuals born before 1950 at the same age spent zero. Our estimates include the documented effects of excessive screen time on individuals born after 1980, Millennials and Generation Z, who will be the majority of individuals ≥65 years old. An estimated 4-to-6-fold increase in rates of ADRD post-2060 will result in widespread societal and economic distress and the complete collapse of already overburdened healthcare systems in developed countries. Preventative measures must be set in place immediately including investments and interventions in public education, social policy, laws, and healthcare.
来自人类和动物的生物心理社会研究的综合证据表明，慢性感官刺激（通过过度的屏幕暴露）会影响大脑发育，增加青少年和年轻人出现认知、情感和行为障碍的风险。新出现的证据表明，其中一些影响与早期痴呆症轻度认知障碍（MCI）成年患者相似，包括注意力不集中、定向障碍、近期记忆获取（顺行性遗忘）、过去记忆回忆（逆行性遗忘）、社交功能和自我护理障碍。过度的屏幕时间已知会改变大脑中的灰质和白质体积，增加患精神障碍的风险，并损害记忆获取和学习能力，这些都是痴呆症的已知危险因素。在大脑发育过程中，慢性感官过度刺激（即过度的屏幕时间）会增加成年后加速神经退行性变的风险（即，健忘症、早发性痴呆）。这种关系受到几种中介/调节因素的影响（例如，智商下降、学习障碍和精神疾病）。我们假设，在 Z 世代的关键发育时期过度暴露于屏幕会导致中青年时期出现轻度认知障碍，从而导致晚年早发性痴呆的发病率大大增加。我们预计，从 2060 年到 2100 年，阿尔茨海默病和相关痴呆症（ADRD）的发病率将显著增加，远远超过疾病控制与预防中心（CDC）预测的两倍增长，达到四到六倍的增长。CDC 的估计完全基于与 1950 年以前出生的个体的年龄、性别、种族和民族相关的因素，这些个体在大脑发育的关键时期没有接触到移动数字技术。与前几代人相比，17-19 岁的平均每天在移动数字设备（MDD）（智能手机、平板电脑和笔记本电脑）上花费约 6 小时，而 1950 年以前出生的同龄人在同一年龄则不使用。我们的估计包括过度屏幕时间对 1980 年后出生的个体、千禧一代和 Z 世代的影响，他们将成为大多数≥65 岁的个体。预计 2060 年后 ADRD 发病率将增加四到六倍，这将导致社会和经济广泛陷入困境，以及发达国家已经不堪重负的医疗保健系统完全崩溃。必须立即采取预防措施，包括在公共教育、社会政策、法律和医疗保健方面进行投资和干预。
