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Does Brain Rot Actually Exist? A Scientific Dive into Cognitive Overload

January 13, 2025

9 min read

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Author : United We Care
Does Brain Rot Actually Exist? A Scientific Dive into Cognitive Overload

Lately, it seems like everyone’s been feeling just… exhausted. You wake up, and the first thing you do is scroll through your beloved social media apps. Sure, it’s fun. Who doesn’t love a good meme that requires minimal thought but delivers maximum giggles? 

But then, sometimes it’s not all fun and games. You find yourself scrolling through your feed, bombarded by information. The passing of influential figures, crime reports, thought-provoking thinkpieces on social injustice, and the nagging feeling that “maybe if I didn’t know all this, I’d actually have a better life.” It’s the age of information, after all. Sometimes, ignorance seems… bliss.

The thing is, this information overload might not have been exactly something our ancient brains were built to handle. Think about it — could you imagine a caveman scrolling through his phone instead of hunting for food, napping, or, well, engaging in other not-so-complicated activities? We’ve come a long way or maybe we’ve gone too far?

So, is there such a thing as too much information? And more importantly, could all this constant media consumption actually be causing something as dramatic as brain rot?! Let’s find out.

What is “Brain Rot”?

Crowned as the Oxford Word of the Year 2024, the term “brain rot” has gained a lot of traction, especially among younger generations. Videos like Alexey Gerasimov’s viral Skibidi Toilet series and absurd “only in Ohio” memes have become symbolic of the culture of bewildering content that defines much of the internet today. 

According to Oxford, brain rot refers to the supposed deterioration of one’s intellectual and mental health as a result of overconsuming low quality (usually online) content that is considered to be unchallenging. Another interesting definition of the term is given by Dictionary.com, which defines brain rot as a slang term meant to signify the “effects of being perpetually online”. 

Brain rot is not exactly a medical condition – and it does not mean that your brain is physically deteriorating (Thank God!). However, the signs associated with the phenomenon do indicate the loss of key cognitive functions such as memory, concentration, and critical thinking. For instance, Everyday Health speculates that brain rot consists of the following signs: 

  • Trouble staying focused for too long
  • Feeling confused or disoriented often
  • Forgetting new information quickly or struggling to remember recent events
  • Finding it hard to take care of yourself physically
  • Noticing changes in personality or how one interacts with others
  • Mood swings, poor reasoning, and trouble making decisions 

Since “brain rot” is associated with several signs of a decline in important cognitive functions, the theory of cognitive overload — coming from the idea that our brains have a limited capacity to process information — may offer a scientific explanation of the phenomenon. The next section discusses cognitive overload as the possible mechanism behind brain rot.  

Cognitive Overload: The Real Cause Behind “Brain Rot”?

Proposed by John Sweller in 1988, cognitive overload theory is based on a simple premise: our brains have limited capacity to hold, process, and store information. 

Thus, it struggles to cope when it is bombarded with an excessive number of stimuli. Think about our brains being similar to our smartphones — when we overload them with too many applications running in the background and leave too many tabs open — the system slows down, lags, or crashes. 

The Working Memory – Our Mental Notepad 

The limitation of our brain to hold only so much information at a time comes from the structure of the “working memory”. Working memory is a cognitive system that is responsible for the temporary storage and manipulation of information required for complex tasks such as reasoning, learning, and language comprehension (Baddley, 1992). 

In other words, working memory serves as a mental notepad that helps you hold and work with information for a short time. It’s what you use to finish tasks such as solving a puzzle, following directions, or remembering a phone number just long enough to dial it.

Limits of Our Mental Notepads 

Cognitive scientists have long theorized that working memory can only hold and process about seven chunks of information for roughly 20 seconds (Reese et al., 2016). Beyond this, any retrieval of information requires the involvement of rehearsal or learning – so that you can remember it for a longer time. 

Working memory may get overwhelmed when someone is trying to memorize a large amount of information, or is multitasking with several complex tasks. Just like our bodies get tired after a heavy run or lots of physical strain, our brain gets tired by a mental overload. 

Cognitive load theory categorizes cognitive demands into three types (Reese et al., 2016):

  1. Intrinsic Load: This refers to the inherent complexity of the material or task. For example, learning a new concept in mathematics naturally requires more cognitive effort than recalling a simple fact.
  2. Extraneous Load: These are unnecessary demands placed on cognitive resources due to irrelevant distractions. In the digital context, these might include flashy advertisements, irrelevant notifications, or badly designed interfaces.
  3. Germane Load: This is the mental effort that helps you actually learn and understand something. For example, when you’re trying to learn a new language and you practice speaking with someone, you’re actively building connections in your brain that help you remember and use the new words more easily.

The problem arises when extraneous and intrinsic cognitive loads combine to overwhelm working memory and leave little room for germane cognitive load. This imbalance hampers learning, decision-making, and the ability to engage in deep thought. 

The Effects of An Overload — Or “Brain Rot”  

Did you know that the structure of our brain has the ability to adapt and change according to our experiences? (Mishra & Gazzaley, 2014). This admirable quality of the brain is called “neuroplasticity”, and it is based on the idea that certain neural pathways in our brain end up being more activated than others, due to habits, experiences, and learning. While neuroplasticity is what helps us form healthy habits and keep them, it may also help us form harmful habits. 

When our brain is in a constant state of cognitive overload, our neural pathways may learn to adapt to multitasking — and end up constantly prioritizing surface-level engagement rather than sustained intellectual effort. 

What happens next? Our ability to focus, think critically, and retain information may be compromised. Some effects of a cognitive overload caused by engagement with digital technologies include: 

  • Structural Changes in the Brain: Prolonged cognitive overload enabled by excessive use of digital media can lead to structural changes in the brain, such as reduced grey matter in regions associated with memory, attention, and other executive functions (Firth et al., 2019).
  • Mental Fatigue: The relentless interruptions from push notifications and the multitasking demanded by digital environments can drain cognitive resources. Over time, this can lead to mental fatigue. A fatigued mind may find it difficult to engage in deep thinking and sustain focus.
  • Reduced Attention and Memory: Studies have shown that constant multitasking can decrease attentional capacity and memory retention. For instance, Junko & Cotten (2012) found that engaging in Facebook or texting while trying to complete schoolwork may tax students’ capacity for cognitive processing and preclude deeper learning. In fact, this practice was even associated with lower GPA in students. 
  • Changes in the Brain’s Reward System: The addictive design of modern digital platforms, such as infinite scrolling and algorithm-driven content feeds, compounds the problem by creating dopamine-driven loops that exploit our brain’s reward system (for a review on cognitive effects of digital technology on cognitive functions, see Barros, 2024).

If your brain is prioritizing low intellectual effort, it is not very surprising that the silliest content is what your attention is able to comprehend and enjoy. Therefore, over time, cognitive overload can lead to symptoms often attributed to “brain rot”. 

Can “Brain Rot” Be Prevented or Reversed?

While our growing digital presence may at times elicit a bleak outlook on our future, there may be ways to prevent and reverse some of the negative effects of cognitive overload. 

If you’re concerned about brain rot affecting your cognitive capacities or mental health, know that there are ways to reverse the effects. 

  • Take A Break: The simplest way to avoid cognitive overload and mental fatigue due to excessive screentime is to take a break. As concerns over excessive use of technology expand, there now exist apps that allow you to take a break from your phone. In fact, research has shown that utilizing digital detox apps can help you avoid problematic smartphone usage (Schmuck et al., 2020) .
    Since using addictive platforms like social media helps our brains feel rewarded (by secreting the reward hormone, dopamine), taking breaks may help you find other rewarding activities — such as painting, taking a walk, listening to music, etc. This can reduce your future likelihood of getting stuck in a cycle of endless scrolling.
  • Try Mental Fitness Exercises: As mentioned in the previous section, our brains are adaptable and flexible. This means that we can utilize the potential of neuroplasticity to create healthy habits that support your brain health. Mental fitness exercises help you do exactly that.
    Some examples of exercises that can help you increase mental fitness include practicing mindfulness meditation, gratitude journaling, and engaging in complex tasks such as playing mind-bending games, reading, etc. Want to know more about
  • Prioritize Getting Enough Sleep: When utilized the right way, sleep is a superpower and a superfood for your brain. When you get enough sleep, your brain is able to get the rest that it needs to function optimally. Unfortunately, as much as a lot of us enjoy “phone time in bed” at the end of the day – the blue light emitted from our screens can disrupt our sleep and further exacerbate our cognitive functioning.

    Make getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep everyday a priority. This can help you feel more refreshed and ready to take on intellectual challenges during the day. For more advice on how to get a restful night of sleep, check out this blog

Takeaway

Alright, maybe calling it “brain rot” is a bit dramatic – but the fact does remain that our intertwined lives with technology can affect our mental capacities. This blog used the lens of cognitive overload theory to deep dive into a scientific explanation behind brain rot. 

The upside and beauty of science is that we not only discover what’s going wrong, we also use this knowledge as power to do better. The phenomenon of brain rot is no different. Deliberate efforts to maintain one’s brain health by taking appropriate breaks, sleeping well, and engaging in activities that boost your brain can certainly help your brain rot. The future of our brains in an increasingly online world does look a little different — but it does not have to be gloomy!

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Author : United We Care

Founded in 2020, United We Care (UWC) is providing mental health and wellness services at a global level, UWC utilizes its team of dedicated and focused professionals with expertise in mental healthcare, to solve 2 essential missing components in the market, sustained user engagement and program efficacy/outcomes.

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