A new study in Singapore has shown that infants who spent long hours 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 teenage years. Children who were more exposed to screens during the breastfeeding stage also showed faster growth in brain areas responsible for visual processing and self-control. The study, led by Associate Professor Tan Ai Ping and her team from the Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (A*STAR) and the National University of Singapore, used long-term data. The research followed 168 children for over 10 years, conducting brain scans at ages 4.5, 6, and 7.5 years. This allowed researchers to see how brain networks develop over time, rather than relying on a single examination. Researchers suggest this may be due to the strong sensory stimulation that screens cause.
