Researchers found that people who reported watching television more often in midlife had smaller brain volumes decades later in areas involved in language and thinking. CNN: Is watching television really associated with changes in the brain years later? Watching television is a cognitively passive activity because viewers are primarily receiving information rather than actively processing it. CNN: Does this study prove that watching television causes negative brain changes? A Mediterranean-style eating pattern rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, fish and healthy fats also has been associated with better brain health.