They identified “brain rot” as a state of cognitive fatigue, fragmented attention and mental overload caused by passive, repetitive scrolling through low-quality digital content. The study found that cognitive fatigue alone was not a direct predictor of depression. Women reported higher levels of cognitive fatigue, burnout, stress and anxiety than men, although overall depression levels were similar between the sexes. Participants with stronger emotional regulation skills appeared more resilient to the negative psychological effects of excessive social media use. The researchers cautioned that the study was based on self-reported data collected at a single point in time and cannot establish causation.