Article summary with Associations between screen-based media use and brain white matter integrity in preschool-aged children by Hutton a.o. - 2019

Childhood is becoming more and more digitized. Though still not clear, there may be developmental and health risks with excessive screen-based media use. These risks include language delay, impaired executive function, poor sleep, impaired general cognition, decreased parent-child engagement, and possibly neurobiological risks. 

How can increased screen-based media use affect children’s development?

Childhood is becoming more and more digitized. Though still not clear, there may be developmental and health risks with excessive screen-based media use. These risks include language delay, impaired executive function, poor sleep, impaired general cognition, decreased parent-child engagement, and possibly neurobiological risks. 

What is diffusion tensor imaging?

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a technology to quantify white matter integrity in the brain and its various factors. Parameters of DTI include fractional anisotropy (FA) and radial diffusivity (RD), scalar values associated with microstructural organization, and myelination of white matter tracts. 

What are the structural neurobiological correlates of screen-based media use in preschool-aged children?

A cross-sectional study revealed the following results:

• Fractional anisotropy is associated with organization of white matter in parallel bundles, whereas radial diffusivity is inversely associated with degree of myelination of such bundles, as well as axonal packing and other microstructural processes. 
• Increased screen time was associated with lower fractional anisotropy and higher radial diffusivity of the arcuate fasciculus, and also with lower EVT-2 and CTOPP-2 scores. 

What can be concluded based upon these correlations?

Increased use of screen-based media was associated with lower microstructual integrity of brain white matter tracts that support language, executive functions, and emergent literacy skills. Screen use was also associated with lower scores on corresponding behavioral measures.