Subscribe
The latest psychology and neuroscience discoveries.
My Account
  • Mental Health
  • Social Psychology
  • Cognitive Science
  • Psychopharmacology
  • Neuroscience
  • About
No Result
View All Result
PsyPost
PsyPost
No Result
View All Result
Home Exclusive Cognitive Science

Study links Facebook use to reduced gray matter volume in the nucleus accumbens

by Eric W. Dolan
May 27, 2017
in Cognitive Science
Dopaminergic neurons are located in the midbrain structures substantia nigra (SNc) and the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Their axons project to the striatum (caudate nucleus, putamen and ventral striatum including nucleus accumbens), the dorsal and ventral prefrontal cortex.  (Credit: Oscar Arias-Carrión et al.)

Dopaminergic neurons are located in the midbrain structures substantia nigra (SNc) and the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Their axons project to the striatum (caudate nucleus, putamen and ventral striatum including nucleus accumbens), the dorsal and ventral prefrontal cortex. (Credit: Oscar Arias-Carrión et al.)

Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
Stay on top of the latest psychology findings: Subscribe now!

People who frequently check Facebook on their smartphone tend to have less gray matter in a reward-related area of the brain, according to new research.

“Smartphones, Facebook – in short the digital world – is a major part of our lives,” the study’s corresponding author, Christian Montag of Ulm University, told PsyPost. “A better neuroscientific understanding of digital usage is of importance to also understand how our brains react and are shaped by digital societies.”

The study was published online April 22 in the peer-reviewed journal Behavioural Brain Research.

The researchers recruited 46 men and 39 women, and used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to examine the structure of their brain. Then, the researchers installed an app on the participants’ phones to record how long they spent on Facebook and how often they checked Facebook every day for five weeks.

Montag and his colleagues were particularly interested in the nucleus accumbens, a small structure located deep in the center of the brain. The nucleus accumbens is a core region of the mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic system, which plays an important role in addiction.

The researchers found that participants who opened the Facebook app more frequently and those who stayed on Facebook longer tended to have reduced gray matter volume in the nucleus accumbens.

“We were able to demonstrate that the nucleus accumbens, a central region of the SEEKING system — others call it the reward system — plays an important role in understanding Facebook usage on smartphones,” Montag said. “In short, the lower the gray matter volume in this area, the higher Facebook usage/frequency could be observed.”

“Indeed, frequency of Facebook checking can be compared to an energetic SEEKING activity,” the researchers wrote in the study, “whereas the users of the smartphones are checking their Facebook account in expectation of ‘Likes’, nice comments, etc.”

Does less gray matter in the nucleus accumbens lead to more Facebook use or does using Facebook lead to less gray matter? Because the study was cross-sectional, the researchers could not determine cause and effect.

“We do not know from the present data if low volumes in this area are a cause or consequence of Facebook usage. Therefore longitudinal studies are needed,” Montag explained to PsyPost.

“The present study investigated health young participants with ‘normal’ smartphone usage. Future research will show if excessive usage (which we did not investigate) could represent a behavioral addiction.”

The study, “Facebook usage on smartphones and gray matter volume of the nucleus accumbens“, was also co-authored by Alexander Markowetz, Konrad Blaszkiewicz, Ionut Andone, Bernd Lachmann, Rayna Sariyska, Boris Trendafilov, Mark Eibes, Julia Kolb, Martin Reuter Bernd Weber and Sebastian Markett.

TweetSendScanShareSendPinShareShareShareShareShare

RELATED

Schoolchildren in classrooms where trees can be seen are less prone to aggression, defiance, and rule-breaking
Cognitive Science

Critical thinking and academic achievement reinforce each other over time, study finds

June 24, 2025

A new study has found that critical thinking and academic achievement build on each other over time in elementary school students, highlighting the importance of integrating thinking skills into classroom learning to support long-term educational growth.

Read moreDetails
The fading affect bias impacts most memories — but election-related memories are surprisingly resilient
Memory

Scientists shed light on how forgiveness does and doesn’t reshape memories

June 20, 2025

A new study suggests that forgiving someone does not make us forget what they did—but it does change how we feel about it. People who forgave recalled past wrongs with just as much detail, but with less emotional pain.

Read moreDetails
Tree-covered neighborhoods linked to lower ADHD risk in children
Cognitive Science

Scientists demonstrate superior cognitive benefits of outdoor vs indoor physical activity

June 18, 2025

A new study suggests that where kids exercise matters: children who played basketball outside showed sharper thinking and faster reaction times than when playing indoors, hinting at a powerful brain-boosting synergy between physical activity and nature.

Read moreDetails
Scientists uncover biological pathway that could revolutionize anxiety treatment
Cognitive Science

Different parts of the same neuron learn in different ways, study finds

June 16, 2025

Researchers have discovered that apical and basal dendrites of the same neuron use different strategies to learn, suggesting neurons adapt more flexibly than previously thought. The findings help explain how the brain fine-tunes its wiring during learning.

Read moreDetails
Poor sleep may shrink brain regions vulnerable to Alzheimer’s disease, study suggests
Memory

Neuroscientists discover biological mechanism that helps the brain ignore irrelevant information

June 14, 2025

New research suggests the brain uses a learning rule at inhibitory synapses to block out distractions during memory replay. This process enables the hippocampus to prioritize useful patterns over random noise, helping build more generalizable and reliable memories.

Read moreDetails
Brain boost from pecans? New study finds short-term cognitive benefits
Cognitive Science

Brain boost from pecans? New study finds short-term cognitive benefits

June 12, 2025

A new study published in Nutritional Neuroscience found that a pecan-enriched shake improved memory and attention in healthy young adults. Participants performed better on 8 of 23 cognitive tests after consuming pecans compared to a calorie-matched shake.

Read moreDetails
Democrats dislike Republicans more than Republicans dislike Democrats, studies find
Cognitive Science

New neuroscience study reveals sex-specific brain responses to threat

June 11, 2025

A new study shows that male and female mice engage distinct brain circuits when responding to threat, challenging the assumption that similar behavior reflects identical brain function. The findings highlight the need for sex-inclusive neuroscience research.

Read moreDetails
HIIT workouts outshine others in boosting memory and brain health, new study finds
Cognitive Science

Mega-study shows exercise boosts cognitive functioning across all ages and health conditions

June 11, 2025

From children to older adults, exercise enhances brainpower. A sweeping new analysis shows that physical activity improves general cognition, memory, and executive function in both healthy and clinical populations, reinforcing its value for mental sharpness at any age.

Read moreDetails

SUBSCRIBE

Go Ad-Free! Click here to subscribe to PsyPost and support independent science journalism!

STAY CONNECTED

LATEST

Maximization style and social media addiction linked to relationship obsessive compulsive disorder

Video games calm the body after stress, even when players feel on edge

Reading fiction fights loneliness and builds a healthier brain

Youth with psychopathic traits at increased risk of dying young, study finds

Critical thinking and academic achievement reinforce each other over time, study finds

Exposure to heavy metals is associated with higher likelihood of ADHD diagnosis

Eye-tracking study shows people fixate longer on female aggressors than male ones

Romantic breakups follow a two-stage decline that begins years before the split, study finds

         
       
  • Contact us
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms and Conditions
[Do not sell my information]

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

Subscribe
  • My Account
  • Cognitive Science Research
  • Mental Health Research
  • Social Psychology Research
  • Drug Research
  • Relationship Research
  • About PsyPost
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy