Scientists Link Heavy TV Watching to Brain Changes Decades Later

Heavy television viewing in middle age was linked to a troubling brain signature more than 20 years later. Time spent watching television was associated with poorer brain health decades later, while sitting at work showed a very different pattern. What MRI Scans Revealed Decades LaterResearchers followed about 1,700 adults who joined the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study between 1987 and 1989. More than 20 years later, MRI scans revealed notable differences between the brains of frequent viewers and those who said they watched television “never” or “seldom.” Viewing habits were self-reported, and participants did not receive MRI scans at the beginning of the project.