The news: Short-form video platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts contribute to poorer cognitive and mental health, or “brain rot”, among viewers, per an analysis by Griffith University researchers.

• The researchers analyzed short-form video use data from 98,299 participants across 71 studies across age groups.
• Negative cognitive effects linked to short-form video use were primarily related to reduced attention span and weaker inhibition control.
• For mental health, both increased stress and anxiety were most associated with short-form videos.
• Conversely, the use of short-form video was not associated with poorer body image or reduced self-esteem, the study found.
• “Brain rot” was the Oxford Dictionary’s word of the year in 2024, referring to a supposed decline in mental sharpness caused by overconsuming trivial digital content.

Why it matters: While the study found similar negative effects on cognition and mental health across age groups, young people spend the most time on short-form video platforms.

• US TikTok users ages 12 to 17 spend an average one hour and 18 minutes per day on the platform, while users ages 18 to 24 spend one hour and 15 minutes every day.
• Gen Zers who reduced time spent with social media saw improved mental health, including reduced anxiety, depression, and insomnia, according to a study published recently in JAMA Open Network. One week away from social media decreased the 18-to-24-year-old participants’ symptoms of anxiety by 16.1%, depression by 24.8%, and insomnia by 14.5%.
• 46% of Gen Z have been diagnosed with a mental health condition, per a Harmony Healthcare IT report in June.

Implications for consumers and healthcare providers: Research has previously linked social media use to mental health risks, especially for adolescents and young adults, but the rapid spread of short-form video adds a newer and increasingly common point of exposure. As the format pioneered by TikTok now appears across social platforms, including traditionally text-based ones like LinkedIn and Facebook, short-form consumption is becoming difficult to avoid.

Although short-form video can offer social connection and educational value for young people, the risks are greater for adolescent and teen users. Healthcare providers should reinforce healthy digital habits, including the role of adult monitoring and messaging that ties screen use to mental health, development, and overall wellbeing.