Children who watch too much TV may have 'damaged brain structures'

Daily Mail ^ | January 10, 2014 | Robin Yapp

[Ken H]

Watching too much television can change the structure of a child's brain in a damaging way, according to a new study.

Researchers found that the more time a child spent viewing TV, the more profound the brain alterations appeared to be.

The Japanese study looked at 276 children aged between five and 18, who watched between zero and four hours TV per day, with the average being about two hours

MRI brain scans showed children who spent the most hours in front of the box had greater amounts of grey matter in regions around the frontopolar cortex - the area at the front of the frontal lobe.

But this increased volume was a negative thing as it was linked with lower verbal intelligence, said the authors, from Tohoku University in the city of Sendai.

They suggested grey matter could be compared to body weight and said these brain areas need to be pruned during childhood in order to operate efficiently.

[Foundahardheadedwoman]

Reading and analyzing what you are reading. In other words thinking. I grew up with very little tv, we would go months without it. I got rid of my tv a couple of years ago.

[Right Wing Assault]

Yeah, but what if I’m busy and keeping the kids in front of the TV keeps them quiet!?!?

Turn off the TV. Give them some weed.

[Rodamala]

My dad often would ridicule the general population of low - information voters for "getting their news from Spongebob Squarepants". Over the holiday I asked if he ever sat and watched an episode. So we did.

Are ya ready, kids?!?

[Vanders9]

Surely it would depend a little on what they are watching? I notice the study doesnt go into that.

[ToastedHead]

I had no respect for the Sponge until I had kids. Then my 4 yr old told me he needed oxygen. He said he was an air breather like Sandy.

[ToastedHead]

“pretty soon he’ll be having you over every 10 mins...”

This is exactly where we’re at. Its gotten even worse since he learned the rewind function. “Mama! Wait for it...wait for it...Watch this!”

[ToastedHead]

“I’ve known some rather dim individuals that simply had to have the television on at all times, even if absolute nonsense was on...”

This is me. I need noise. Even at work in the middle of the night, I get a lot more done if I am playing a Rush podcast in the background. I guess you could look at it as a defect:)

When I really needed to study in college, though, I needed absolute quiet. I would get irritated at the library when people talked.

[McBuff]

But this increased volume was a negative thing as it was linked with lower verbal intelligence

So. . like. . .what you are saying. . .you know. . .like. . .like. . I'm like . .. you know. . .the verbal stuff and what not. . you know what I mean. . I mean. . .yea. .like, I watched the tube, sure. . you know what I mean. . I mean. . my friends, like. .you know my friends understand me fine. . you know what I mean?

[bolobaby]

Exactly. What is the effect of repeated chooming on the brain?

[Right Wing Assault]

What is the effect of repeated chooming on the brain?

It turns one into presidential material! It grants the inability to speak without a teleprompter, produces the need to take multiple expensive vacations each year, and makes one feel he is in charge of everyone else.

[SunkenCiv]

In this country, the damage is caused by Partisan Media Shills, including the limo libs in the entertainment [sic] industry, and not only those on PBS. Thanks Ken H.