Internet addiction is changing the brains of the young

Internet addiction is changing the brains of adolescents, a new study has found.

Regions of the brain are being altered and neural networks are also rewiring, say researchers from University College London.  These changes can increase the risk of further addictive behaviour.

The researchers analysed 12 previously published studies that used brain imaging technology to assess the changes in the brains of young people who were ‘internet-addicted’, defined as being unable to use the internet even if it was negatively impacting their psychological wellbeing and social, academic or professional lives.

On average, Britons spend over 24 hours a week online and, of these, more than half admitted to being addicted to the internet.  An Ofcom survey estimated that 50 million Britons regularly used the internet, and 60 percent of them said it had a negative effect on their lives.

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