Prefrontal suppression in short-video viewing: unraveling the neural correlates of self-control

Abstract

AbstractThe recent surge in short-video application usage has raised concerns about potential mental health risks. Using a novel video-watching task, we investigated the neuropsychological mechanisms underlying self-control during short-video viewing from a dual-system perspective. Results revealed watching preferred videos significantly activated the amygdala (System I) and deactivated the control regions (System II), with individuals with lower trait self-control being suppressed more. Dynamic causal modelling revealed the amygdala inhibited control regions during preferred viewing, while control regions downregulated the amygdala during less-preferred viewing. The control regions also demonstrated enhanced activation during cognitive control and inner-state monitoring tasks, with the latter correlating with trait self-control. These findings suggest preference-based video-watching suppresses prefrontal areas that represent rules and support self-awareness, enabling bottom-up limbic processes to dominate attention. This study provides insights into the neuropsychological impacts of short-video applications use, informing policies and interventions to promote healthier technology use and mitigate potential adverse effects.