Dr. Richard Cytowic

Young individuals who have a very high screen exposure show symptoms that are similar to developmental autism. They refuse to make eye contact. They have reduced language. They have reduced social interaction.

Young individuals who have a very high screen exposure show symptoms that are similar to developmental autism. They refuse to make eye contact. They have reduced language. They have reduced social interaction.

Young individuals who have a very high screen exposure show symptoms that are similar to developmental autism. They refuse to make eye contact. They have reduced language. They have reduced social interaction.

Well, today's brain is no different from those of our distant ancestors millions of years ago. It hasn't evolved one iota. And so we are still faced with the same restrictions and liabilities that our distant ancestors faced. And this is a problem when we're faced with the overabundance of screens. These limitations and restrictions on our brain are things like what?

Well, today's brain is no different from those of our distant ancestors millions of years ago. It hasn't evolved one iota. And so we are still faced with the same restrictions and liabilities that our distant ancestors faced. And this is a problem when we're faced with the overabundance of screens. These limitations and restrictions on our brain are things like what?

Well, today's brain is no different from those of our distant ancestors millions of years ago. It hasn't evolved one iota. And so we are still faced with the same restrictions and liabilities that our distant ancestors faced. And this is a problem when we're faced with the overabundance of screens. These limitations and restrictions on our brain are things like what?

I think what's going to surprise most people is that our brain has a fixed limit of energy available. I mean, most people don't think about when they're saying, oh, I'm addicted to my phone. They don't think about it in terms of what their brain is doing, but people like me who are trained in neurology and neuropsychology, we think about these issues of the brain's point of view all the time.

I think what's going to surprise most people is that our brain has a fixed limit of energy available. I mean, most people don't think about when they're saying, oh, I'm addicted to my phone. They don't think about it in terms of what their brain is doing, but people like me who are trained in neurology and neuropsychology, we think about these issues of the brain's point of view all the time.

I think what's going to surprise most people is that our brain has a fixed limit of energy available. I mean, most people don't think about when they're saying, oh, I'm addicted to my phone. They don't think about it in terms of what their brain is doing, but people like me who are trained in neurology and neuropsychology, we think about these issues of the brain's point of view all the time.

And so the brain has a limited amount of energy available. And no amount of diet, exercise, Sudoku puzzles or supplements is going to be able to change that. There's a limited amount of energy and attention that you can devote at any one time. And the Stone Age brain evolved in a much simpler time of limited resources in a struggle survival.

And so the brain has a limited amount of energy available. And no amount of diet, exercise, Sudoku puzzles or supplements is going to be able to change that. There's a limited amount of energy and attention that you can devote at any one time. And the Stone Age brain evolved in a much simpler time of limited resources in a struggle survival.

And so the brain has a limited amount of energy available. And no amount of diet, exercise, Sudoku puzzles or supplements is going to be able to change that. There's a limited amount of energy and attention that you can devote at any one time. And the Stone Age brain evolved in a much simpler time of limited resources in a struggle survival.

And now it's being bombarded by this relentless amount of sensation thrown at it. And it simply can't handle it.

And now it's being bombarded by this relentless amount of sensation thrown at it. And it simply can't handle it.

And now it's being bombarded by this relentless amount of sensation thrown at it. And it simply can't handle it.

It's simply overload, is that we feel exhausted and frustrated and tired all the time that we can't keep up. So we're asking it to do things that it simply never evolved to do.

It's simply overload, is that we feel exhausted and frustrated and tired all the time that we can't keep up. So we're asking it to do things that it simply never evolved to do.

It's simply overload, is that we feel exhausted and frustrated and tired all the time that we can't keep up. So we're asking it to do things that it simply never evolved to do.

The thing that makes the smartphone so addictive is the companies have really honed in on what psychology calls positive intermittent reinforcement. And this is the same thing that slot machines use.

The thing that makes the smartphone so addictive is the companies have really honed in on what psychology calls positive intermittent reinforcement. And this is the same thing that slot machines use.