Neuroplasticity and Digital Media: Brain Development Implications for Adolescent Mental Health A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Neuroimaging Studies
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Background: Adolescence represents a critical period of brain development characterized by heightened neuroplasticity and vulnerability to environmental influences. Digital media use has proliferated dramatically during this developmental window, yet neuroscientific understanding of its impact on brain development remains limited.Objectives: To systematically review and synthesize neuroimaging evidence examining digital media effects on adolescent brain development, with focus on reward, salience, cognitive control, and social brain networks during critical developmental periods.Methods: We conducted a systematic review and coordinate-based meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies examining digital media use in adolescents aged 11-19 years. Electronic databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Neuroscience databases) were searched from 2015-2024. Inclusion criteria required original neuroimaging data (fMRI, structural MRI, DTI, EEG), validated digital media measures, and minimum sample sizes of 20 participants. Coordinate-based meta-analysis used Activation Likelihood Estimation, with qualitative synthesis organized by brain networks and developmental trajectories.Results: Twelve studies met inclusion criteria (N=11,234 participants total). Coordinate-based meta-analysis revealed significant convergence in bilateral amygdala (left: x=-26, y=-2, z=-12; right: x=22, y=4, z=-18), ventral striatum (x=-24, y=14, z=-4), anterior insula (x=36, y=22, z=-4), and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (x=42, y=-42, z=28). Longitudinal studies (n=3) demonstrated divergent developmental trajectories: habitual social media users showed increasing activation over time in reward (β=0.11), salience (β=0.15), and cognitive control (β=0.19) regions, contrasting with decreasing activation in controls.Conclusions: Digital media exposure during adolescence is associated with altered development of brain networks critical for emotional regulation, reward processing, and cognitive control. These findings suggest a critical need for neuroscience-informed approaches to digital wellness during adolescent brain development.Keywords: adolescent brain development, neuroplasticity, digital media, social media, neuroimaging, fMRI, reward system, cognitive control
