Published : 01 Oct 2026, 09:46 PM
Updated : 01 Oct 2026, 09:46 PM
A new review suggests that experiences in the first 25 years of life can shape the brain, sometimes irreversibly, adding to the debate over children's screen use.
The conceptual paper, published on Tuesday in the journal Brain Health, draws together existing research on how sensory experiences, movement, social relationships, culture, and environment mould a person, says CNN.
The authors call the idea "criticome".
Co-author Julio Licinio, a psychiatry professor at State University of New York's Upstate Medical University, says development has a critical window from birth to age 25, and what is imprinted then stays for life.
The review does not test screen time directly, and Licinio says answers will take decades of research. He still urges parents to cut screen use and encourage more time with other people.
Melissa Greenberg, a clinical psychologist at Princeton Psychotherapy Center who was not involved in the study, says fast, close-up screen content can make activities such as cycling or beach trips feel dull by comparison.
The paper also points to language and music as skills best built in childhood, noting that brain areas such as the Broca area may be hard to develop later if left unused, according to CNN.
Licinio adds that screens contribute to childhood obesity, as children move less and often eat while watching.
Greenberg advises parents to plan before removing screens, fill the time with alternatives such as board games, cycling, or volunteering, and not to blame children for angry reactions, which she links to dependence, not defiance.
