GUWAHATI: An individual going without a smartphone for just 72 hours can lead to significant changes in brain activity in the said person’s brain, according to a recent study.
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The study, conducted by researchers at Heidelberg University, found that short-term smartphone deprivation led to brain activity changes in areas associated with dopamine and serotonin—neurotransmitters that regulate mood, emotions and also addiction.
To regulate the findings, the study involved 25 participants who were asked to limit their smartphone usage for 72 hours. After the three-day restriction period, participants underwent fMRI scans while being shown different sets of images: neutral scenes (such as landscapes and boats), smartphones turned on, and smartphones turned off.
The researchers also noted that smartphone restriction can resemble withdrawal from addictive substances or even food cravings in some ways, which was noticeable in both heavy (ESU) and regular smartphone (non-ESU) participants.
