Adults who watched television very often during midlife later had measurably smaller volumes in the brain regions responsible for memory and decision-making, and more white matter damage associated with stroke risk and cognitive decline, compared to those who rarely watched TV, according to a new study published in Alzheimer's & Dementia: Journal of the Alzheimer's Association. Critically, the same pattern did not apply to people who spent many hours sitting at work, suggesting that the type of activity happening during sedentary time matters far more than the sitting itself.
The study, led by researchers affiliated with the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and using data from the long-running Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study, followed 1,712 adults for more than two decades, making it one of the most sustained longitudinal investigations of the relationship between passive screen time and brain structure.
