(Representative Image: Pexels)2 / 8 Researchers recently noted that watching short videos can temporarily reduce activity in parts of the brain linked to cognitive control.
According to a study, short videos can slow down the brain areas that help you focus, control your attention and make decisions.
(Representative Image: Pexels)6 / 8 The researchers compared the participants’ brain activity when they kept watching videos they liked with videos they chosed to stop.
Hence, short videos made parts of the participants’ brain less active while they were watching them.
Notably, it also does not prove that watching short videos causes permanent brain damage or long-term cognitive problems.
Last Updated: September 25, 2026, 17:30 IST
1 / 8 Short-form content like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts triggers quick dopamine hits that easily trap you in endless scrolling and make you lose track of time. However, recent research indicates their impact goes beyond merely passing the time. (Representative Image: Pexels)
2 / 8 Researchers recently noted that watching short videos can temporarily reduce activity in parts of the brain linked to cognitive control. According to a study, short videos can slow down the brain areas that help you focus, control your attention and make decisions. (Representative Image: Pexels)
ADVERTISEMENT
3 / 8 The study, published in Neurolmage, looked at 56 young adults and examined how their brains responded while they freely watched short videos. As per reports, the researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to track brain activity, along with proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy to measure levels of neurotransmitters, including glutamate and GABA, in the brain. (Representative Image: Pexels)
4 / 8 The study involved two areas involved in the brain’s cognitive control network: the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dIPFC). These regions are involved in functions that help people regulate their behaviour, respond to changing situations, and control their attention and actions. (Representative Image: Pexels)
ADVERTISEMENT
5 / 8 Reportedly, during the experiment, 56 participants watched short videos while researchers scanned their brains. The participants were shown different types of clips, including videos of people, pets, games, and nature, and could ship a video whenever they wanted. Most of the clips were 30 seconds long. (Representative Image: Pexels)
6 / 8 The researchers compared the participants’ brain activity when they kept watching videos they liked with videos they chosed to stop. The test revealed that when people were really into a video, activity dropped in parts of the brain linked to focus, self-control and decision making. Hence, short videos made parts of the participants’ brain less active while they were watching them. (Representative Image: Pexels)
ADVERTISEMENT
7 / 8 However, the study does not state that reels literally switch off your entire brain. It found that some parts of the brain became less active when participants watched videos they enjoyed. Notably, it also does not prove that watching short videos causes permanent brain damage or long-term cognitive problems. (Representative Image: Pexels)
