Can Social Media Addiction Trigger Alzheimer's? Neurologist Weighs In

Since the social media boom, and especially after the pandemic, platforms like Instagram and Twitter are overloaded with information and misinformation. With everything from engaging posts to genuinely useful insights appearing on our feeds, knowing how to verify which social media post is reliable can help you make the most of this digital world.

Luke Coutinho, an integrative and lifestyle medicine practitioner, recently shared a post. It read, "I watched a man's brain deteriorate in just 9 months... and it wasn't Alzheimer's from age. It was from something we all do every day."

How Social Media Triggers Brain Rot

He shared that a man in his early 50s, "a fit, successful, and sharp-minded family man," was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's after his tests and scans showed "memory fog, confusion, irritability, and scary cognitive slips."

He cross-checked his blood work from 1-5 years ago, and everything seemed healthy. But the latest reports indicated that he had early-onset Alzheimer's. Luke Coutinho claimed that he went on a family holiday and got addicted to Instagram reels and social media. He was scrolling for 2-4 hours a day.

"He could not stop. The dopamine hits kept him glued, endless laughs, drama, outrage, cute videos. But after? No sleep. Racing thoughts. Sugar cravings at dawn, munching fried snacks and sweets to chase the crash," he wrote in the post.

The integrative medicine practitioner said that in 9 months, his patient's brain changed, memory faded, focus vanished, and mood crashed. "It was my first clear case of social media scrolling as a brain-damaging addiction, brain rot," he wrote.

He said that doomscrolling and short-form videos rewire the brain's reward system like addictive substances, flooding it with dopamine, shrinking attention span, and reducing grey matter in key areas.

"Late-night scrolling disrupts sleep by 24+ minutes on average, spikes insomnia risk by 59%, and sleep loss is a direct dementia accelerator," he claimed in his post.

"Even in middle age, excessive screen time, poor sleep, and junk food cycles promote inflammation, insulin resistance, and faster biological ageing of the brain, raising risks for premature cognitive issues," he further added.

He suggested that a human brain is like plastic and can be rewired based on what you feed it. He asked his followers to avoid screens after 9 pm and replace scrolling sessions with a book or a walk. People can also practise digital detox on weekends.

Can Social Media Addiction Trigger Alzheimer's? Neurologist Weighs In

We spoke to Dr Vinit Banga, Director & HOD - Neurology, Fortis Hospital, Faridabad, to understand how social media addiction can rewire our brains and whether it can trigger Alzheimer's. 

"There is currently no scientific evidence to prove that addiction to social media can cause Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that has been attributed to age, genetic predisposition, aberrant protein formation in the human brain, such as beta amyloid plaques and tau protein tangles, and other biological mechanisms," he told NDTV.

Social media addiction can lead to cognitive fatigue, stress, and decreased mental involvement. Photo: Freepik

According to the expert, social media addiction has many effects on the human brain, although these effects are not direct. "Excessive use of screens has been linked to low quality of sleep, a decrease in attention span, increased rates of anxiety, depression, and a reduction in real-world social interactions. In due course, this can lead to cognitive fatigue, stress, and decreased mental involvement, hence affecting memory temporarily," he said.

But he also warned that memory lapses or decreased concentration should not be taken to mean the onset of Alzheimer's, considering its cause is neurostructural damage with concomitant neuronal death.

He talked about emerging research that indicates digital engagement, when balanced, can be useful in stimulating cognitive activities in older persons. "Of course, moderation is the key. A sedentary lifestyle, social isolation, stressful circumstances, uncontrolled diabetes, hypertension, and lack of mental stimulation have been more substantiated as risk factors," Dr Banga noted.

Irrespective, he suggested maintaining digital health habits to promote brain health. It can be achieved by,

• Limiting screen time
• Getting enough sleep
• Exercising regularly

"In addition, an effective balance of mentally stimulating activities, social events, and medical risk control is the most scientifically supported approach to reduce the risks of dementia," the neurologist concluded.

While your social media addiction might not trigger Alzheimer's, it is definitely harmful and impacts your overall well-being. It is better to keep doomscrolling in check than reach a point where you can't put your phone down.

Also Read | Fitness Coach Shares 4 Common Mistakes In A "Healthy" Indian Diet