Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40750960›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2025

Changes in prefrontal hemodynamics and mood states during screen use: a functional near-infrared spectroscopy study.

Daniel Fehring, Alexandra Gaillard, Emiliano Mazzoli, Susan Rossell, Paddy Dempsey, Michael Wheeler, Neville Owen, David W Dunstan, Mats Hallgren

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Daniel Fehring *Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
Alexandra Gaillard *Addiction and Clinical Neurosciences Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Biostatistics, Swinburne University, Melbourne, Australia.
Emiliano MazzoliSchool of Health and Social Development, Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University, Burwood, Australia.
Susan RossellSchool of Health Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia.
Paddy DempseyBaker-Deakin Department of Lifestyle and Diabetes, Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University, Burwood, Australia.
Michael WheelerBaker-Deakin Department of Lifestyle and Diabetes, Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University, Burwood, Australia.
Neville OwenBaker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Australia.
David W DunstanBaker-Deakin Department of Lifestyle and Diabetes, Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University, Burwood, Australia.
Mats HallgrenBaker-Deakin Department of Lifestyle and Diabetes, Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University, Burwood, Australia. mats.hallgren@ki.se.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Screen use has been associated with poor cognitive and mental health, yet few studies have examined its effects on brain activity. Our aims were to describe changes in brain activity and mood states following brief exposure to screen-based content; assess the feasibility of using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to measure these effects; and gather preliminary data to inform future investigations. Twenty-seven young people (age = 21.5 ± 2.8 years; range = 18-25) completed six consecutive 3-min screen conditions in a psuedorandomized cross over design. All screen exposures were presented on an iPhone 12-Max while sitting. Hemodynamic changes in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) were measured continuously using fNIRS (Portalite Mk II). Changes in mood states (energy, tension, focus, happiness) were assessed before and after each condition. Condition exposure altered the hemodynamic response in the dlPFC, where oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO) increased more compared to baseline after exposure to social media (largest increase), gaming, and TV-viewing (smallest increase), respectively. Deoxygenated hemoglobin (HbR) and total hemoglobin (HbT) increased more following exposure to gaming (largest increase), social media, and TV-viewing (smallest increase), respectively. Both TV-viewing and gaming were associated with increased focus relative to baseline, whereas social media use was associated with decreased focus. Findings indicate that even short durations of screen use have measurable effects on brain regions involved in cognitive control, emotion, and social decision making. These effects are nuanced and context dependent, rather than universally beneficial or detrimental. fNIRS is a feasible method for measuring these effects.

Indexed as

AffectDorsolateral Prefrontal CortexHemodynamicsPrefrontal CortexScreen TimeAdolescentAdultFemaleHemoglobinsHumansMaleOxyhemoglobinsSpectroscopy, Near-InfraredVideo GamesYoung AdultHemoglobinsOxyhemoglobinsAffectCognitionfNIRSMentally activeMoodSedentary

Identifiers

PMID40750960
PMCPMC12316940

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.