Short Videos May Temporarily Switch Down the Brain’s Self-Control Network, Study Finds

Ever opened Instagram or another short-video app for ‘just five minutes’ and suddenly realised you have been scrolling for much longer? New research offers a possible explanation for why short videos can be so difficult to put down.

A study published in the journal ‘NeuroImage’ found that watching preferred short videos was linked to temporary suppression of activity in brain regions involved in cognitive control, self-monitoring and staying focused. The findings may help explain why highly engaging short-form content can feel so absorbing.

What Happens In The Brain While Watching Short Videos?

Researchers from Zhejiang University studied 56 young adults using brain imaging techniques. Participants first underwent proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy to measure levels of two brain chemicals- glutamate and GABA, in an area called the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC).

They then watched short videos while undergoing functional MRI scans. Participants could skip a video whenever they wanted. Videos that they continued watching were considered preferred or liked content for the purposes of the study.

The researchers focused on two areas involved in cognitive control: the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC).

These regions help the brain monitor behaviour, detect problems, maintain attention and exert self-control.

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Your Brain’s Brakes May Become Quieter

The study found that watching preferred short videos was associated with reduced activity in both of these cognitive control regions.

In simple terms, the parts of the brain involved in monitoring and controlling behaviour appeared to become less active while people were immersed in videos they wanted to keep watching.

When participants watched videos they disliked and skipped earlier, the pattern was somewhat different. Activity in the dACC did not significantly change from baseline, although the dlPFC remained suppressed.

This does not mean that short videos permanently damage the brain or switch off self-control. The researchers were measuring brain activity during the viewing task, and the study does not establish what happens after someone stops watching.

Glutamate Could Play A Role

The researchers also found an interesting connection with glutamate, the brain’s main excitatory neurotransmitter.

People with higher resting glutamate levels in the dACC showed less suppression of activity in the cognitive control regions while watching short videos.

However, levels of GABA, the brain’s main inhibitory neurotransmitter, were not significantly linked to these changes.

This suggests that differences in brain chemistry may partly explain why some people experience greater changes in cognitive control during immersive short-video viewing.

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Are Short Videos Addictive?

Not necessarily.

The study provides clues about a possible brain mechanism behind the highly absorbing nature of short videos, but it did not directly diagnose short-video addiction. The researchers also used continued viewing as an indicator of preferred content rather than conducting a detailed assessment of compulsive use.

The sample was small and consisted of young adults, so the findings cannot automatically be applied to everyone.

Key Takeaway

Short videos are not inherently harmful, and watching them occasionally is unlikely to be a cause for concern. The bigger issue may be when scrolling becomes difficult to control and starts replacing sleep, exercise, work, study, or real-world interactions.

If you regularly lose track of time while scrolling, simple boundaries can help, such as turning off unnecessary notifications, keeping your phone away during meals and before bedtime, and setting specific times for social media use.