Is Social Media Affecting Our Brains?

To help us navigate these important questions, we are joined by Dr. Emma Duerden, Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Neuroscience & Learning Disorders, and leader of the Developing Brain Lab at Western University. Her research examines how social media and screen time shape brain development, mental health, and learning outcomes in children and adolescents.

Together, we discuss what the science says about social media use, how it may be impacting youth, and what parents, educators, and young people themselves should know

About Dr. Duerden

Emma G. Duerden, PhD, is an Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Neuroscience & Learning Disorders and leads the Developing Brain Lab at Western University. Her research program investigates how social media and screen time shape brain development, mental health, and learning outcomes in children and adolescents. She has led in-person and online studies with over 1,000 toddlers, children and adolescents, combining brain imaging, cognitive assessments, and longitudinal data to identify how digital technologies influence sleep, cognition, mental health and functional brain connectivity. Dr. Duerden’s work bridges neuroscience with education and policy to promote digital well-being and inform evidence-based screen time guidelines.