An expert explained the consequences of constantly watching short videos like TikTok and Instagram, whether they change the brain, and what envy is all about.

What is it about?

The researchers were inspired by statistics. According to the 54th Statistical Report on China’s Internet Development in 2024, in China alone, the number of short video users exceeded 1 billion, accounting for more than 95% of the total number of Internet users. A significant portion of users are teenagers or the elderly.

Experts from Tianjin Normal University in China have published the results of a study on how addiction to highly engaging, personalized, and short video content can change the brain, writes PsyPost, citing the data of the study itself, shared in NeuroImage.

The participants were 112 college students, 68 of whom were men aged 17 to 30.

Andriy Ryzhyk explained that the study does not directly address the harm of watching short videos in the general sense.

«It focuses on short video addiction as a behavioral disorder and identifies neural correlates and potential risk factors associated with this disorder,» the psychologist adds .

Tendencies, addictions and risks

In simple terms, as Andriy Ryzhyk «translated» the results, the study revealed the following:

• Envy and short videos: People who tend to envy others are more likely to show signs of addiction to short videos. They may use watching videos as a way to distract themselves from negative emotions or to compare themselves to others.
• Brain changes: People with symptoms of short-form video addiction have been shown to have certain changes in brain structure and activity. Specifically, in some areas of the brain responsible for emotions, decision-making, and impulse control, gray matter volume may be greater and activity may be more synchronized. This doesn’t mean that short-form videos are «destroying the brain,» but it does indicate that frequent viewing of them may affect how the brain works. However, the study shows correlation, not causation.
• The role of genes: Researchers have also identified genes whose activity is linked to brain changes seen in people with signs of short-form video addiction, suggesting that the predisposition to such addiction may be partly genetic.
• Teenagers are at risk: Some of these genes are particularly active during adolescence, which may explain why teenagers are particularly vulnerable to developing addiction to short videos.

The psychologist emphasized that this study only shows an association between watching short videos and certain changes, not a cause-and-effect relationship.

How riles affect brain function

According to Andriy Ryzhykh, it is difficult to say for sure how frequent viewing of short videos affects brain function. However, based on the results published by scientists, he suggested several possible mechanisms:

• Change in reward system: Short videos, especially those that offer a quick change of vivid images and emotionally charged content, can stimulate the brain’s reward system. Constant stimulation can cause the brain to become accustomed to this type of stimulation and begin to crave it more and more, which can lead to addiction and make it difficult to control viewing.
• Effects on the prefrontal cortex: The prefrontal cortex is responsible for planning, impulse control, and decision-making. Frequent viewing of short videos can reduce activity in this area of ​​the brain, which can lead to impulsive viewing and make it difficult to focus on other tasks.
• Changes in information processing: The brain can adapt to the fast-paced and fragmented information that is typical of short videos. This can lead to a reduced ability to concentrate on more complex and longer information, as well as difficulty processing information that arrives more slowly.
• Impact on emotional regulation: As mentioned earlier, people can use short videos to regulate emotions, especially negative ones such as envy. However, this way of regulating emotions may be ineffective in the long term and may even lead to increased negative emotions and the development of addiction.

However, the psychologist emphasized that all of the above are just hypotheses based on the results of the study.

«Further research is needed to confirm these hypotheses and understand the exact mechanisms of the impact of short videos on brain function. It is also worth considering that the impact of short videos may be different for different people and depend on many factors, such as age, individual characteristics and the way these videos are used,» he emphasized.

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