Each year, the Oxford English Dictionary names its Word of the Year. These are newly adopted, and over recent years have included Climate Emergency, Pandemic, Rizz, Vax, Systemic Racism and, in 2023, Goblin-Mode (look them up!)
At the end of 2024, their Word of the Year was Brain Rot, and the reasoning for this selection is both interesting and relevant. The term describes the mental fog, shortened attention span and cognitive decline linked to over-consumption of low-quality online content.
Use of the term Brain Rot increased by 230% between 2023 and 2024, with social media addiction linked to poor creative function, memory and decision-making in younger adults.
Endless digital stimulation
Endless digital stimulation is a comparatively new experience for the human brain, and studies have shown that excessive screen time leads to grey matter shrinkage in areas responsible for impulse control. Social media use floods the brain with dopamine, creating addictive feedback loops, and constant over-stimulation weakens the prefrontal cortex. These changes ‘rewire’ the brain to require instant gratification.
Brain Rot behaviours are stated as including Zombie Scrolling (mindlessly flipping through social media feeds), Doom Scrolling (compulsively consuming negative news), Notification Addiction (constantly checking our devices) and – of most significance to our industry – Gaming Overload (excessive gaming leading to withdrawal from ‘real life’).
Trusting the science
Matter Neuroscience, founded in 2019 by neuroscientist and biochemist, Axel Bouchon, and others, and partnered with Maastricht University in The Netherlands, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York and Copenhagen’s Happiness Research Institute, has studied this modern phenomenon in depth.
Conducting an extensive study, using Functional MRI Scans to map where in the brain positive neurotransmitters are activated, Matter Neuroscience produced thought-provoking findings. They compared activities such as watching TikTok and watching a sunset, texting a friend and speaking in person, scrolling Instagram and strolling in a park and online shopping and visiting actual stores.
The contrast in responses between these activities was stark, with ‘real-life’ activities activating naturally positive levels of neurotransmitters such as Serotonin, Oxytocin, Cannabinoids and Opioids that were virtually absent from digital activity.
Over-stimulation is not working
Despite the intellectual credibility of both Matter Neuroscience and the Oxford Dictionary assessors, some argue that ‘brain rot’ is little more than exaggerated internet clickbait. However, further evidence suggests that these negative effects of excessive device use are very real.
A separate study, examining over 1,000 young adults, found that social media addiction impacts planning, problem-solving and memory. Chronic over-stimulation from screens is now being linked to higher levels of anxiety and depression, most noticeably amongst Gen Z and Gen Alpha users.
Reshaping an entire generation
The wider societal message seems clear; we must take digital consumption seriously before it reshapes the capabilities of an entire generation. We all have a responsibility to positively influence our families, friends, colleagues, customers and, most importantly, our children.
The advice given in order to prevent Brain Rot and “reclaim your mind” is fairly obvious – set limits by tracking screen time; set app restrictions; strengthen the brain by reading books, solving puzzles or learning a new skill; go offline by exercising and spending time outdoors; prioritize ‘real’ connections by meeting people in person; and digitally ‘detox’ by taking regular breaks from phone and device usage.
Creating the right balance
Our desire, as an industry, is to constantly develop even more sophisticated products that both require and encourage end users to spend more and more time online needs to be balanced against a longer-term duty of care to the customers of not only today, but also tomorrow.
Short-termism is a predictable and frequently unfortunate feature of modern business. Stakeholder pressure to deliver ever-increasing incomes is immense, with many great ideas killed at birth due to the long-term nature of their ROI. That this trend can lead to unfortunate consequences is clearly true, and not only commercially.
Engaging with the experts
Surely it would make sense, in what is an increasingly sensitive regulatory and socially conscious global climate with regard to gambling, for members of the industry – ideally collectively – to engage with an organisation like Matters Neuroscience, and undertake a deep study into the neurological impacts of what we do to earn a living? Who knows, it may even lead to a clear and positive separation of the potential dangers when compared to social media addiction and other intensive uses of our devices?
