Overview
- Researchers from A*STAR IHDP and NUS reported in eBioMedicine that higher screen exposure before age two was associated with accelerated specialization of brain networks for vision and cognitive control.
- The team followed 168 children from the GUSTO cohort, conducting brain scans at ages 4.5, 6, and 7.5 to track developmental changes over time.
- Children showing these altered networks took longer to make decisions at age 8.5 during a cognitive task, and slower decision-making was linked to higher self-reported anxiety at age 13.
- Screen exposure measured at ages three and four did not show the same brain effects, underscoring infancy as a particularly sensitive window.
- A related 2024 study by the same team found that frequent parent–child reading at age three attenuated the observed links, aligning with Singapore health guidance that urges limited and more interactive screen use for young children.